Marr 0 - 43 Melrose: Melrose cruise to victory against Marr

Marr were comprehensively mauled at home by a rampant Melrose, whose seven-tries-to-nil victory guaranteed them a home play-off semi-final at the end of the season.

Melrose's Austin Lockington. Picture: SNS/Ross Parker

Pack power was the key to this win, with the visitors’ effective driving maul a major component in the three first-half tries which set up the victory.

For the first, by Austin Lockington in five minutes, Marr illegally halted the Melrose drive, and with the free ball, Jason Baggott cross-kicked for Lockington to gather and score.

The second and third tries were both scored by hooker Russell Anderson, at the back of the unstoppable drives, with Craig Jackson converting Anderson’s first touchdown.

Already 17-0 down, Marr defended the maul better in the second half, had a bit more possession themselves, but could find no way through the miserly Melrose defence. Replacement Ruaridh Knott crashed over for the bonus-point try, converted by Jackson. Then, with Ross Miller in the sin bin, Melrose earned a penalty try, before, at the death, and with uncontested scrums, Lockington and Knott scored again, with Jackson converting the Knott try with the final kick.

Baggot picked up a late yellow card for the visitors, prior to Knott’s final try.