Currie 24-0 Melrose: Currie sweep into contention

Currie thrust themselves back into contention for a play-off spot with a dominant performance over a lacklustre Melrose side who never posed a serious threat to the home try line. The home side showed greater desire in every facet of the game and repaid the army of volunteers who had cleared the pitch of snow earlier in the day.
Mike Vernel scores Curries second try despite Bruce Colvines efforts. Picture: Neil HannaMike Vernel scores Curries second try despite Bruce Colvines efforts. Picture: Neil Hanna
Mike Vernel scores Curries second try despite Bruce Colvines efforts. Picture: Neil Hanna

“We had 30-odd guys down for about three hours clearing the pitch,” said Currie coach Ben Cairns. “I made the point to the boys before the game that these guys had come down and put in three hours hard graft and it was now down to them to do the same.”

And his players responded with a win that was brimming with character and arguably should have been by an even greater margin.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Despite having most of the possession and a substantial territorial advantage, the hosts failed to breach the Melrose defence until the 33rd minute. Both sides were operating a man short after Currie skipper Ross Weston and Melrose No8 Graham Dodds were sent to the sin bin after trading punches.

A renewed bout of pressure created the platform for the ball to be shipped out to Ruaridh Smith, whose neatly angled run took him between two defenders for a try which Joe Reynolds converted to complete the first-half scoring.

The pattern of the second period was similar, Curie battering away at the 
Melrose defence and eventually finding a way through when Mike Vernal forced his way over after a close-range lineout. Reynolds again converted then hit a well-struck penalty. Currie’s supremacy was underlined when Fidias Efthymiou sliced through for try No.3 with the final play. Reynolds converted.

Related topics: