Dundee HSFP17Melrose13

Defending champions Melrose suffered their first reverse in the RBS Premiership, losing to a determined Dundee High Rugby side that owed much of its success to the return of the Scotland Sevens cap, James Fleming.

The flying Fleming proved he is not just a sprinter with some good goal-kicking. But Dundee can also thank their hard-working pack, which twice pushed Melrose off their own ball, and an organised defence which closed down the dangerous Melrose backline.

Melrose were unlucky to lose their winger Nick McGrath after just four minutes but it was their sluggish start, together with the sin-binning of their skipper two minutes later, that proved costly for the title holders. After Graham Dodds’ departure, Dundee opted for a scrum five metres out and made short work of their opponents with a massive shove that ended with Danny Levison touching down and Fleming converting.

Fleming was called into kicking action again and claimed three points with a penalty goal before adding the extra points to his own try. It came from another powerful scrum and then a break by Andy Dymock that gave Fleming enough room to blaze in at the corner for a 17-0 lead going into the second quarter.

Melrose came back into the game, Scott McCormick outflanking the Dundee defence to score, Scott Wight adding the difficult conversion. Then, in an even second half, Wight kicked two penalty goals but Melrose were unable to score any further points.

Scorers: Dundee HSFP: Tries: Levison, Fleming. Cons: Fleming 2. Pen: Fleming. Melrose: Try: McCormick. Con: Wight. Pens: Wight 2.

Dundee HSFP: C Wyper; A McLean, R Lavery, C Strachan, J Fleming; C Brown, A Dymock; N Dymock, S Forrest, A Brown, R Hawkins, A Linton, C Cumming, J Morrison, D Levison. Subs used: G Robertson, D Russell, R McIvor, J Urquhart, T Seabala.

Melrose: F Thomson; N McGrath, J Murray, C Murray, J Helps; A Skeen, B Colvine; C Keen, R Ferguson, N Beavon, G Elder, R Miller, J Dalziel, G Runciman, G Dodds. Subs used: W Mitchell, K Cooney, P Eccles, S McCormick, A Skeen.

Referee: M Caton.