Rugby: Gala turn up heat to see off Heriot’s

Heriot’s were felled by a second half surge from Gala as the Goldenacre men went down 35-18 in their RBS Premiership opener at Netherdale.

The Capital side trailed only 14-11 at the interval, with CJ Osazuwa bagging a try and Graham Wilson kicking the other points. But the home side turned up the heat in the 
second period to rattle up an impressive bonus point win, the additional Heriot’s points 
coming through a converted Andy Scott touchdown.

In the RBS National League, Watsonians had to settle for a narrow defeat bonus point from their 12-9 loss at Glasgow Hawks. Brian Walls slotted three penalties for ’Sonians but was outgunned by Mike 
Adamson who booted four for the hosts.

At Inverleith, Stewarts Melville and Hawick served up a cracking 32-32 draw. The lead changed hands for a seventh time when Chris Damsteeg’s second try – Donald Sansgter also touched down and Seb Trotter kicked 17 points – nudged the hosts 32-27 in front with eight minutes to play. But a late Lee Armstrong score handed the Borderers a share of the spoils and a four try bonus.

There was a deluge of tries in Championship Division B, where Musselburgh, Lasswade and Murrayfield Wanderers all posted bonus point wins.

Full back Lance Gahan marked his ’Burgh debut with a double and Dave O’Hagan contributed a try and all five conversions as the Stoneyhill men saw off Peebles 35-11. There was also a handful of touchdowns at Hawthornden, where Lasswade chalked up a 34-10 win over Perthshire.

Murrayfield returned from their trip to face Morgan Academy in Dundee with a 25-7 win, but there was disappointment for new Haddington coach Tom Philip, whose first competitive match at the helm ended in a 20-3 defeat at Howe of Fife.