Melrose 34 - 13 Edinburgh Accies

RELEGATION-threatened Edinburgh Accies desperately needed a point at the Greenyards yesterday, but against a Melrose side returning to form after their recent slump, the Raeburn Place men were denied any spoils.

The visitors' attempt to take points from this encounter was not helped by their boring reliance on a pick-and-drive forward game when good conditions invited running rugby. By contrast Melrose played some delightful rugby that reaped five tries, two from full-back Fraser Thomson, and one apiece from Ben Allen, Nick Beavon and Callum Anderson.

The only problem yesterday for Melrose was an unexplained loss of goal-kicking form by the normally reliable Scott Wight. The stand-off, who otherwise had an impressive game, kicked only one from five at goal before handing over duties to James King, who landed two penalty goals.

For Accies, who led 15-13 at one stage early in the second, former Hawick centre Gavin Douglas kicked two penalty goals and converted a first-half try by winger David Rattray from a move that showed what the visitors can achieve, but only with a tectonic shift of tactical thinking.