Gala 29-34 Melrose: Rugby proves the real winner

LESS than 24 hours after Glasgow demolished Munster in a memorable night for Scottish professional rugby, we were reminded brilliantly at Netherdale of the pride and ambition bubbling in the club game in this RBS Cup semi-final.

Scorers: Gala: Tries: Keddie, Graham. Pens: Millar (5). Cons: Millar (2). Melrose: Tries: Helps, Colvine, Dick, Ferguson. Pens: Helps (2). Cons: Helps (3), Skeen.

With a Murrayfield final place at stake, Gala and Melrose produced one of the most engrossingly entertaining derbies witnessed in recent years and it all stemmed from players brimming with an endeavour and ambition that warmed a large crowd.

“It was an exciting game of rugby and the better team won,” admitted Gala coach George Graham. “I have to say that as much as it disappoints me, but we didn’t quite get our decision-making right.”

Graham should be proud of leading his young charges, with the brilliant Opeta Palepoi the rare old head, to second in the RBS Premiership and the British & Irish Cup again and, after signing a new two-year deal, as revealed in Saturday’s Scotsman, is intent on steering Gala to the top next season.

For Melrose, it has been tough following back-to-back league success, but they have clearly not given up on silverware yet.

“Last week was not good enough,” said skipper Graeme Dodds, one of several players to have returned from serious injury this season, “but the guys all responded.

Melrose faced Ayr in the 2010 and 2011 cup finals and lost both, before Gala beat Ayr in last year’s final. It will be Craig Chalmers’ swansong before he heads to a new post at Chinnor RFC, but he is keen to finish on a high with the Melrose Sevens, a Border League final and the Scottish Cup final providing the potential for a great April.

However, Melrose could also be fighting for their Premiership status as defeat to Aberdeen next weekend, coupled with a Dundee win over Stirling County, would send them into a relegation play-off with Hawick. Their supporters might struggle to survive another 80 minutes like Saturday’s, however. From the moment that Joe Helps, the Melrose centre, dotted down the first try just 28 seconds into the game, this was a firecracker of a contest that see-sawed with pulsating regularity.

Gala’s London Scottish-bound fly-half Lee Millar pulled the hosts back into it with two penalties and Craig Keddie put Gala ahead, finishing a great flowing attack, but Helps pulled it back and then Bruce Colvine, the Melrose scrum-half, moved like an eel over the ground to touch down a second ’Rose try.

Millar kicked the Maroons back in front, 19-17, at half-time, and, with Melrose losing Andrew Nagle to a yellow card for one ruck infringement too many for referee Peter Allan, it seemed to be advantage Gala.

But led well by Dodds and John Dalziel, Melrose learned from last week’s league defeat at Gala and roared from the half-time traps. Their reward was a try by former Gala player Bruce Dick, who rounded a frantically tightening home defence, and, converted by Helps, to put Melrose 24-19 up.

The Maroon fire emerged again, however, and after Russell Anderson had a try ruled out on the right, scrum-half George Graham finished off another of his father’s trademark lineout moves on the left, with a well-taken try which, with Millar’s conversion, put Gala 26-24 up before the hour.

Helps and Millar exchanged penalties to leave the scoreboard at 29-27, and Gala then lost Gary Graham to the sin-bin, heading into the final five minutes. Melrose grasped possession and showed terrific composure in the face of aggressive Gala defence before finally, with a minute left, a door creaked slightly open, and talented young hooker Richard Ferguson crashed through it to score.

Two cracking games of Scottish rugby in two days. And the architects shaping them are still-young coaches Gregor Townsend, Graham and Chalmers. The talent is there in Scottish rugby.

Gala: A McLean; G Somerville, C Auld, C Borthwick, C Robertson; L Millar, G Graham; L Pettie, C Mackintosh, C Hogg, G Graham, O Palepoi, C Keddie, B Murray, E Dods. Subs (all used): R Anderson, E McQuillin, C Weir, T Weir, G Young, A Emond, B Turner.

Melrose: F Thomson; C Anderson, B Dick, J Helps, A Dodds; R Mill, B Colvine; N Little, W Mitchell, G Holborn, G Dodds, R Miller, J Dalziel, G Runciman, A Nagle. Subs used: R Ferguson, S Lowe, R Ovens, A Skeen.

Referee: P Allan.