Currie fail to keep heat on as Melrose overcomes pressure

Curries Harvey Elms tackles Joe Helps as he offloads to Fraser Thompson who went on to score. Picture: Ian Rutherford

It creates the realistic prospect of a cup and league double, not only for Melrose but potentially for Ayr and Heriot’s too.

“At this stage of the season we want to be fighting with the chance of winning trophies and it’s going to be an exciting next few months,” Dalziel said. “I would have been really disappointed to miss out on cup semis and league play-offs with this bunch of players. But we have to remember that semi-finals are only good if you win them. Ultimately, we need to get to the finals.”

Melrose controlled most of the game at Malleny, shrugging off an early setback to cruise into a comfortable lead, up 15 points at half-time, before almost letting the prize slip as Currie stormed back only to fall short.

The forward battle was intense and abrasive throughout and crucial in determining the final outcome. Melrose had the edge overall but, come the last five minutes, Currie had the momentum that couldn’t quite carry them over the line.

It started promisingly for the home side, one place and six points above Melrose in the Premiership table, as they scored in the first three minutes, with lock Stephen Ainslie barrelling up the wing before feeding his full-back Harvey Elms for the finish. When stand-off James Semple banged the conversion over from way out on the right it seemed Currie could do no wrong.

But Melrose treated the try as a wake-up call and they got a grip on the game to the extent of scoring three tries in the remainder of the half without reply.

Two stemmed from kicks into the corner and forward onslaughts, a third emerged from adventurous running and slick passing in a fast-paced game notable for its absence of handling errors.

The first was produced by a five-metre lineout morphing into a driving maul that was blatantly pulled down by Currie as it approached the line. Referee Sam Grove White had no hesitation in going to the posts to award the penalty try.

The second try minutes later was scored by full-back Fraser Thomson who carved his way through a suddenly disorganised defence. Joe Helps converted both and added a penalty before the third try came along. Thomson was again involved, fielding a clearance kick on halfway and running it back so that the ball passed through several hands to end up against the chest of blindside flanker Neil Irvine Hess as he crashed over on the left.

It was 7-22 at half-time and Melrose were good value for the lead. Currie changed their back row, bringing on club captain Ross Weston in an attempt to turn the tide. It paid immediate dividends with Weston getting behind an irresistible maul over the line before the visitors had the chance to stop it. Semple converted.

Melrose didn’t panic. They still had control of the game and were still two scores ahead with play concentrated in Currie’s half. Another Helps penalty nudged them that wee bit further into the lead.

But then Currie dug deep to produce a late flourish with Weston and his pack on the charge. The ball criss-crossed the pitch and winger Chris Logan went in for a try five minutes from full time. Semple’s conversion meant Melrose, from a position of strength, were suddenly vulnerable.

Currie then flooded into the opposition 22 in all-out attack but time was running out faster than Currie could recycle the ball and Melrose held out.