Heriot’s 15 - 12 Boroughmuir: Confidence boost for Heriot’s as they win ugly

Heriot’s edged this contest right at the death with a try from replacement winger Andrew Scott, but it was not enough to secure them a top-eight place.

The 15-12 victory at Goldenacre was not pretty – the strong wind not helping either side – and, at times, the hosts looked frightened of the try line.

However, the way they dug in and battled will give captain Graham Wilson and his charges some confidence as they prepare for the Premier B dogfight in early 2012.

The game started slowly before the visitors, coming off a 48-3 thumping win over Glasgow Hawks, registered the day’s first points eight minutes in.

Centre Stevie Wilson weighted a pass beautifully to the onrushing No.8 Iain Moody with the former Kelso man doing the rest to run through for the try from 20 metres.

Stand-off Ally Warnock converted and that was that as far as the scoring was concerned in the first period. For the next 32 minutes both sides huffed and puffed, but whenever a chance looked on the ball was lost forward or a horrible pass was thrown.

Heriot’s did look the team most likely to score during that time, but it seemed to sum up their season to date that they could not take advantage when on top.

But, just seconds after the restart, ‘Muir gifted Heriot’s the chance to get on the scoreboard, Warnock being caught by back-row Fraser Brown in his own ‘22’ and conceding a penalty which Wilson converted.

Five minutes later, the visitors went 12-3 up. The ball looped out to captain Sean Crombie on the right and the ex-pro took advantage of some powder-puff tackling by the hosts to score.

With 18 minutes remaining, Brown scored a try for Heriot’s after a sustained period of pressure on Boroughmuir’s line ensued. In the 76th minute, Heriot’s were held up and then No 8 Jason Hill lost the ball in contact with the line just inches away. The winner came eventually, though, Scott being pushed over the line by some of his weightier colleagues and Heriot’s will look to build on this whilst knowing that improvement is necessary.

Scorers: Heriot’s – Tries: Brown, Scott. Pen: G Wilson. Con: G Wilson. Boroughmuir – Tries: Moody, Crombie. Con: Warnock.

Heriot’s: G Lawson; M Learmonth, C Ferguson, C Mark, C Goudie; S Hidalgo-Clyne, G Wilson; A Dymock, K Bryce, S Cessford, R Martin, M Reid, R Cessford, J Hill, F Brown. Subs used: S Mustard, G Cameron, R Wilson, A Scott, M Nimmo.

Boroughmuir: S Visser; R Bradford, S Wilson, M Hare, J Webster; A Warnock, S Johnson; N Fraser, S Crombie, B Blair, G Scott, A Davidson, M Harvey, I Moody, A Rose. Subs used: C MacIntosh, J Latta, J Swanson.

Referee: A Ireland.