Melrose 20 - 0 Selkirk: Melrose silver streak continues as they win Border League

MELROSE claimed their third trophy in as many weeks last night and gained revenge for last year's Radio Borders Border League defeat at the hands of Selkirk with an efficient performance at Peebles.

Two tries in the first half and one with the last act of the game highlighted Melrose's superior finishing ability and their defence soaked up waves of pressure in the second half without looking like surrendering the lead to a tremendously dogged and battling, but ultimately blunt Selkirk attack.

Melrose coach Craig Chalmers said: "It was a bit scrappy, a bit loose at times, but it is always difficult backing up big games. The really positive thing for me was the zero on the scoreboard because we were under a lot of pressure in the second half and showed real hunger and desire."

Fraser Harkness, the Selkirk captain, confirmed afterwards that he had turned down several offers to join Premier One clubs to stay at Selkirk despite their relegation this season. He said: "It was gutting. That was probably the best we've played all year but had gilt-edged chances and didn't take them."

A forward pass by Melrose stand-off Scott Wight denied Jamie Murray an opening try in the second minute, but the first score did come after nine minutes and it was the top try-scorer Fraser Thomson who finished it off, taking the pass from Joe Helps after the centre's fine break over the Selkirk ten-metre line and having too much pace for his opposite number Harkness. There was plenty of early niggle and off-the-ball clashes, with big tackles from Ross Nixon and breaks by Gavin Craig revealing Selkirk's desire. Barring a jersey pull on Grant Runciman they would have had a try after Jamie Murray broke on the right, and from the resultant penalty, kicked to touch, Graeme Dodds looked certain to score when the 'Rose pack drove over the line but referee David Changleng ajudged the No 8 to have been held up.

Selkirk were warned at the next ruck and Wight exploited the award of a penalty to stretch his side's lead to 8-0. With three minutes of the first half remaining, David Cassidy intercepted a pass and broke into the Melrose half. He had Thomson on his tail so was always going to be caught, but his pass inside to Darren Clapperton on the 22 should have sent the winger racing to the posts, but under pressure from Thomson it was to his ankles and Clapperton could only knock it along the ground.

Melrose grabbed a second try with the last act of the first half, a penalty to touch setting up the platform from which lock Garry Elder drove through several defenders.The ball was recycled swiftly and player-coach John Dalziel could not be stopped from ten metres.

Selkirk tried to find a way back into the game on the restart and broke open the Melrose defence, but Craig fluffed his lines by trying to chip past the last defender and then knocking on. Melrose came back into the game in the last 15 minutes and wrapped things up with the last act of the second half when Helps found space to scurry over. Michael McVie was shown an instant red card for foul and abusive language to the referee, which heaped misery on the Selkirk side, while 'Rose invited 39-year-old prop Richard Higgins, their long-serving New Zealander who started his career in Scotland with Selkirk 11 years ago, to take the conversion in his last game for the club. He was just inches wide but it did nothing to dampen the celebrations.

Scorers: Tries: Thomson, Dalziel, Helps. Pens: Wight, Con: Wight.

Melrose: F Thomson; C Anderson, J Murray, J Helps, A Dodds; S Wight (capt), R Chrystie; N Beavon, W Mitchell, R Higgins, G Elder, H Mitchell, J Dalziel, G Runciman, G Dodds. Subs used: N Little, G Innes, R Miller, C Hardie, B Colvine, B Allan.

Selkirk: F Harkness; C Beattie, D Cassidy, R Nixon, D Clapperton; G Craig, M McVie; R Taylor, S Forrest, M Weller, R Aglen, S Willett, N Darling, R Crockett, A Renwick. Subs used: M Martin, M Murray, C Marshall, C MacDougall, J Hendrie.