Stunned Melrose blow 26-point lead

ONE of the most remarkable games seen at The Greenyards left officials on both sides totally stunned.

Dundee, who scored the winning try and conversion in the 90th minute, walked away with coach Ian Rankin’s first win for the club on the ground.

However, both he and Melrose Rugby Director Mike Dalgetty had no idea where referee James Matthew found the extra ten minutes.

“I thought that games were 40 minutes each half, and we played 50. I had no idea where they came from at all.” Dalgetty said. “But you have to play to the final whistle.”

Melrose were 35-9 ahead with 16 minutes left but, in a staggering finale, Dundee hit back and Cam Brown landed the final conversion with the last kick.

“It’s a funny old game,” admitted Rankin. “The game is never over until the final whistle. It was an important game as we hear of Currie and Ayr being the main challengers to Melrose and no-one mentions Dundee.”

Dalgetty added: “I was very disappointed with the result, but ironically we are now better off after Gala lost at Aberdeen. But we feel that it was a missed opportunity.”

The game looked all over after Ross Ovens charged down Cam Brown’s kick for the opening try following a good start by Dundee. Further tries from Fraser Thomson and Bruce Colvine, along with two Andrew Skeen conversions and three penalties, gave Melrose a 28-9 interval lead, Dundee keeping in touch with three Jack Steele penalties.

Skeen scored the fourth try and converted to bring his points tally to 215 for the season. It was 35-9 at that stage and the game looked in the bag for Melrose. However, the hosts appeared to switch off and Dundee took full advantage.

The visitors finished the match strongly with tries from Richie Hawkins, a penalty try after Melrose had been penalised regularly bringing down the scrum, resulting in a yellow card for Melrose prop Chris Keen, Neil Dymock and finally Cameron Wyper.

Cam Brown’s conversions, the last from the left touchline, were crucial.

Scorers: Melrose – Tries: Ovens, Thomson, Colvine, Skeen. Cons: Skeen (3). Pens: Skeen (3). Dundee HSFP – Tries: Hawkins, Penalty try, N Dymock, Wyper. Cons: C Brown (4). Pens: Steel (3).

Melrose: F Thomson; A Dodds, B Dick, C Murray, J Helps; A Skeen, B Colvine; N Little, R Ferguson, G Holborn, S Johnston, R Miller, R Ovens, G Runciman, G Dodds. Replacements: P Tamba, C Keen, D Crawford, S McCormick, C Hardie.

Dundee HSFP: H Duthie; A McLean, R Lavery, R Dewey, J Steele; C Brown, A Dymock; N Dymock, S Forrest, A Brown, A Linton; R Hawkins, R McIver, C Cumming, D Levison, Replacements: D Russell, G Robertson, A Redmayne, R Verbakel, C Wyper.

Referee: J Matthew.