Melrose 28 - 19 Boroughmuir

Melrose halted a run of negative results at home with a bonus point win over a Boroughmuir side that scored second-half tries in a 13-minute period, but left the Borders with no tangible gains, writes Alan Lorimer at the Greenyards.

Overall, Melrose deserved their win from a performance which had the edge behind the scrum, despite fine individual displays from Sep Visser, who looked dangerous with ball in hand, and Scotland under-20 squad wing Damian Hoyland.

Melrose’s other trump card was the kicking form of stand-off Andrew Skeen, who converted all four of his side’s tries, two from the touchline.

The Greenyards men looked in command when they led 21-0 early in the second half, with tries from flanker Grant Runciman, lock Ross Ovens and Glasgow pro Fraser Thomson, only for ‘Muir to hit back with touchdowns from Visser, No.8 Jamie Swanson, Scotland under-20 flanker Alex Henderson, and two conversions from Harry Leonard.

But in injury time replacement Alun Walker made sure of a Melrose win with a forward-created try to deny Boroughmuir a vital point.