Boroughmuir Bears 34-31 Heriot’s: First Super 6 win for Meggetland men

When Jack Steele rumbled over for Boroughmuir Bears’ fourth try with less than two minutes left on the clock, it seemed like the home team were home and hosed.

Boroughmuir Bears captain Chris Laidlaw. Picture: SNS

But the Meggetland men have a habit of making life hard for themselves and, sure enough, they then conceded three quick penalties to allow Heriot’s to march the length of the pitch.

At that point, all the smart money was on another painful defeat for Graham Shiel’s men – but on this occasion they managed to hold out to finally pick up their first win of the Super6 era.

After two narrow defeats in the opening two rounds of this new competition, it was a big relief for the home side to finally get their season up 
and running.

“There were elements of the performance which were 
definitely improvements from Stirling, to Ayr, to that one – and to get over the line is massive for us,” said captain Chris Laidlaw, pictured left.

The hosts had got off to flyer when winger
Cammy Gray scuttled in for a try with less than two minutes on the clock, but Heriot’s responded with two tries from their powerful lineout drive to take the initiative, with Jason Hill and Michael Liness taking the credit for getting the ball down.

It remained nip and tuck throughout. The Bears levelled it when Johnny Matthews muscled over, Heriot’s reclaimed the lead with an excellent try by Dan Nutton after a crafty lineout move, and the home side made sure the teams were tied at the break when Bruce Flockhart’s break was that catalyst to a Ewan Stewart try.

Two Kyle McGhie penalties for the Bears against one by Ross Jones edged the hosts into a narrow lead midway through the second half, then Heriot’s went ahead through Scott Robeson, before that late try by Steel set up the 
tense finale.