Rugby Borders Cup: Wins for Melrose, Kelso and Falkirk

Jed-Forest 17 - 29 Melrose

MELROSE kept their Regional Cup hopes and a chance of reaching Murrayfield for the fifth year alive with four tries in the opening 23 minutes, writes Atholl Innes.

Melrose opened up a 29-0 lead, but the second half belonged to Jed, although they found the gap just too wide to overcome.

Andrew Skeen kicked an early penalty before Graeme Dodds, Fraser Thomson and Skeen himself polished off some superb handling and running for a 24-0 lead after just 16 minutes. Joe Helps added the bonus-point-winning try and Keen added three conversions.

An Iain Chisholm try brought Jed back into it, before Connor Hogg and Chisholm again drove over, the latter try converted by Andy Mclean, but it was too little too late.

Selkirk 6 - 7 Kelso

Kelso finally got the monkey off their back with a first away win of the season at the seventh attempt to complete a very satisfying double over Selkirk at Philiphaugh, winning by the narrowest of margins in the proverbial game of two halves, writes Stuart Cameron.

Selkirk won the toss and decided to play into the ferocious wind and driving rain, and try to keep the score down, something which they achieved by conceding only seven points thanks to a good defensive display. Kelso dominated territory and possession and their pack had the edge over their Border rivals but one try on 27 minutes by Ali Marsh, converted by Mark Chester, was all they had to show for it.

Two penalties from David Cassidy in the space of two minutes brought Selkirk to within a point and they caused Kelso problems, but the visitors defended well and held out to win.

Stirling County 30 - 16 Falkirk

EARLY talk of a potential banana-skin for Stirling proved wrong as they powered past lower division opponents, writes Martin Laing.

Falkirk, as expected for such a rare local derby, tried valiantly, but the Bridgehaugh outfit were too powerful. First-half tries for Steve Swindall and Danny Gilmour, the former converted by Brian Archibald, provided the platform for Stirling, Archibald also hitting a penalty. Falkirk’s six points came from a brace of Jonny Hope penalties.

Hope nudged over another kick in 43 minutes, but tries from Bengy Bersanti and Mike Doneghan and five points from the boot of Archibald secured the win, despite Cole Ronald touching down a consolation at the death that Hope converted.