Gala 16 - 17 Melrose: Late-blooming Rose edge derby thriller

THE contrasting emotions of delight and crushing disappointment after a throwback of a Borders derby ended in dramatic fashion were only improved when it materialised that these two proud rivals are likely to go head-to-head again at Netherdale when the race for the championship resumes.

The split occurred this weekend, creating A, B and C pools of eight teams to determine the Premier One and Two championships, and promotion and relegation between the new ten-team leagues. There will now be a break for British and Irish Cup matches, featuring Melrose, Ayr and Currie from Scotland, and RBS Cup matches for the rest. But the Premier One clubs have agreed to ensure that when the new pools launch in January there will be a fair split of home and away matches.

Melrose and Ayr are two clubs giving up home advantage, against Gala and Currie respectively – to be ratified by the championship committee this week – to help achieve that balance. The clubs are not delighted at losing a home gate in tough financial times, but Mike Dalgetty, the Melrose RFC Director of Rugby, insisted that another four-mile trip back up the Tweed was arguably the least painful change.

“Well, it’s the shortest away game we could have,” he said. “We have played fewer home games with the other top seven clubs, but, trying to make the run-in as fair as possible, we will give up one home game we’re due. It’s not for us to decide which game that is, but it seems that the one that causes least change for others is the Gala one. So if that is what the championship committee agree, there won’t be an argument.

“Having a crowd of over 2,000 at Netherdale was great for club rugby and we hope to have a similar crowd at the Greenyards on Boxing Day for our Border League/RBS Cup match with Gala, and the way it’s going, with Gala challenging at the top of the league, I reckon every game between us for the next wee while will draw a lot of interest.”

This eagerly-anticipated game drew 2,200 spectators – a stunning return to figures of a decade ago – and edged Melrose back to the top of Premier One by a point from Gala, albeit after a slow start. There was no brawling launch typical of previous encounters, and while both teams came into this first league meeting in nearly seven years with a reputation for flowing, attacking rugby, what they served up was a nervy, error-strewn first half in which the forwards enjoyed a ding-dong battle and defenders drew ‘oohs’ and ‘aaghs’ with thumping tackles, but neither side gripped possession for long enough to open up their attack.

Elgin lad Lee Millar has been one of Gala’s most impressive players so far this season, but after an early penalty success, the stand-off’s kicking lacked precision and too often handed Melrose full-back Fraser Thomson easy attacking platforms. Intriguingly, the Galashiels youngster in the black-and-yellow 15 jersey, unusually punted much back downfield, until a second half run-in with Maroons wing Gavin Young fired him up and he took on and beat the winger twice to launch sizzling attacks that promised much but foundered on poor ‘Rose handling.

With Euan Dods, Opeta Palepoi and Chris Auld providing terrific leads for the hosts, and their scrum on top, Gala dominated the second quarter. When Melrose flanker Ross Miller was yellow-carded for stopping a close-range attack without retreating at a penalty the Maroons seemed certain to score. But the strong visiting defence held, Millar missed a penalty and the visitors went into and then emerged from the interval with spirit to ignite the game.

Lifting their intensity, with more cohesive forward work and harder running, Melrose scored just two minutes into the second half through Scott Wight, after good work had stretched Gala’s defence and Wight’s loop created a gap. Wight converted and Millar and Wight then swapped penalties before Millar struck again from 42 metres on the hour-mark to cut the ‘Rose lead to 10-9 and set up the comeback.

The Netherdale stand shook in appreciation for a great 15-metre driven maul, ‘Rose scrum-half Scott McCormick was sin-binned for stopping another Gala scoring chance by flipping the ball out of a ruck and then Maroon supporters were on their feet acclaiming a fine team try. Man-of-the-Match Dods launched the attack off a scrum inside Gala’s half, scrum-half George Graham ran with ambition and centre Alan Emond crashed on. Skipper Palepoi broke Grant Runciman’s tackle and charged 20 metres towards the ‘Rose line, earning a penalty and, from a clever lineout, Palepoi was driven over by props Ewan McQuillin and Jack Gilding.

Millar converted for a six-point lead, and with a minute and a half to go Craig Chalmers, he later admitted, sensed his first defeat as a Melrose player or coach at Netherdale. But with 80 seconds left on the stadium clock, Gala lost ball in the ‘Rose 22, some home players dropped back expecting a kick and the astute Andrew Skeen moved it.

James King and Jamie Murray superbly pulled defenders to them before Murray fed Allan Dodds, and the wing, enjoying a terrific Indian summer in his career, burst past 35-year-old Palepoi and skipped away from Craig Borthwick’s despairing lunge to dive over and puncture Gala hearts. Skeen duly converted to secure victory.

Though his side were the better team for the most part, Gala coach George Graham said that they had not do enough to win it. He added with a wry smile: “Look, we’re second in the league, a point behind Melrose, having just come up from the second division, so am I happy? Like hell I am!”

Scorers: Gala – Try: Palepoi. Pens: Millar 3. Con: Millar. Melrose – Tries: Wight, Dodds. Pen: Wight. Cons: Wight, Skeen.

Gala: G Hunter; S Law, A Emond, C Auld, G Young; L Millar, George Graham; W McQuillin, R Anderson, J Gilding, O Palepoi (capt), C Weir, Gary Graham, G Lowrie. E Dods. Subs used: C Borthwick, L Bertram, A McLean.

Melrose: F Thomson; A Dodds, C Murray, J Murray, S Webster; S Wight, S McCormick; C Keen, A Walker, N Beavon, G Elder, P Eccles, R Miller, G Runciman, G Dodds. Subs used: J King, B Colvin, A Skeen, R Ferguson.

Referee: J Mathew.