South 33 - 7 Caledonia: Strong home performance at Jed

South No 8 Bruce McNeil of Hawick scored against Caledonia at Riverside Park.

It was the visiting Reds who started the strongest and they were awarded for their high-intensity opening with the first try of the evening. After a series of pick-and-goes, it was the experienced prop Alan Brown who broke the deadlock, when he powered over the whitewash from only a metre out.

However, the Reds held the lead for only a matter of minutes as the South hit back with terrific backline move. After Graham Spiers linked up with Gregor Hunter on on an angled loop, the winger managed to offload the ball to Lee Armstrong, who showed a great turn of pace to round his man and touch down in the corner

The home side then took the lead only moments later after another expansive set-piece move. After Spiers again came off his wing, the Gala man was able to work a three-on-two which put Lewis Young in for the score from 50 metres out.

Following a yellow card for the Caledonia No 8, Jake Eaglesham, the Borderers tightened their grip on the match further. Sean Goodfellow made a darting break before offloading to Bruce McNeil, pictured, on his inside shoulder. The Hawick No 8 powered over to give the South a 19-7 lead which they maintained until the break.

The home side started the second half where they left off and further extended their lead after a fantastic solo try from Jed’s Gregor Young.

Caledonia had much of the ball in the second period but superior defence from home side often suffocated any advantage they worked.

Selkirk’s Ross Nixon came off the bench and added the fifth try to underline South’s  dominance.