Jed-Forest 5 - 34 Hawick: Hawick seek a festive trio of triumphs

SCORERS: Jed-Forest. Try, Gobby. Hawick. Tries, Coutts (2), Muir, Simpson, Smith. Cons, Hutton (2), Douglas. Pen, Hutton.

Now only Melrose this weekend stand in the way of a treble.

“We tried a few new combinations but it was a very hard game,” said Leck. “We like to play quick and we tried to be patient and open them up but, to play at this time of year, you are expecting lads who are amateurs to play ‘professional’.”

For Jed, at least it was not another league defeat as they fight for RBS National League survival but coach Kevin Barrie lost a raft of players during the game to add to his injury woes. Gregor Young, Ewan Scott, Graham Slorance, Alan Frame and Chris Page headed for the treatment room, while Lewis Young, who was red-carded against Selkirk a week ago, has been banned for three weeks. “It is a bit sad for a club that can get only 19 boys to turn up for Boxing Day game, and we had to fight hard for everything,” Barrie added. “But the players stuck in to the end.”

The signs were ominous for Jed when John Coutts got the opening try in only two minutes. Shaun Muir and Finlay Simpson then added to the total before David Gobby hit back. Jed pressed after the break but tries from Craig Smith and Coutts again sealed the result.

Jed-Forest: I. Chisholm, C. Gillon, Gregor Young, E. Scott, D. Gobby; R. Miller, R. Goodfellow; David Grieve, S. Raeburn, A. Frame, Glen Young, A. McKay, J. Sudlow, M. Weekley, Donald Grieve. Replacements: G. Slorance, J. Fraser, C. Page, D. Wallace..

Hawick: G. Johnstone; N. McColm, J. Coutts, G. Hogg, S. Anderson; R. Hutton, G. Cottrell; S. Muir, H. Scammell, L. Launders, C. Smith, D. Lowrie, F. Simpson, K. Davies, N. Mactaggart. Replacements: L. Gibson, S. Graham, W. Douglas, K. Willison.

Referee: D Changleng