West of Scotland 26 - 59 Melrose: Burnbrae for thrills but Melrose leave the happier

RED and yellow are the colours of sporting entertainment in Greater Glasgow. At opposite ends of Maryhill Road, Partick Thistle and West wear these colours, don't always win, but regularly provide a rollicking afternoon's entertainment for followers of different codes of football.

With a try scored on average once every six minutes - some with a distinct "Wow!" factor, other greeted with head-shaking - this match knocked X Factor and Strictly into touch and at the end, Melrose are safely in second place in the title-chasing top eight, West seemingly bound for the angst of the middle eight clubs fighting to join the big boys next season.

"We kept trying to play rugby, the first half was good, the second too loose, losing that late bonus-point try disappointed me; but overall I'm happy with the result", was Craig Chalmers' view from the Melrose dug out.

Opposite number Keith Robertson was upbeat in defeat. "There was no lack of effort, it was another learning process for our youngsters who did make some good breaks.

"These kids will have a go and if it is to be the middle eight, they will keep going - but we knew we would be up against it today, with a weakened team", he said.

Melrose were just too powerful for an under-strength West, who nevertheless were rewarded for their refusal to buckle with a bonus-try point, but made too many errors.

In something of a one-way first half, Ewan Ford, Gary Holburn, Graeme Dodds and Wayne Mitchell had secured the visitors' bonus point before Jonathan Curteis opened West's account - only for veteran Cammy Murray to have the last word right on the break.

Scott Wight and Alasdair Stevenson converted all six tries.

The second half scoring was more turn-about, Dodds for Melrose, Mark Davis for West, Fraser Thomson for the visitors, then a super Michael Sim effort for the home side, converted by the scorer; Thomson and John Dalziel for Melrose, before, to a great roar from the home fans, Mark Davis got West's bonus point try.

Scorers: West of Scotland: Tries: Curteis, M Davis (2), Sim; Conversions: Stevenson (2), M Sim.

MelroseTries: Ford, Holburn, G Dodds (2), W Mitchell, C Murray, Thomson (2), Dalziel; Conversions: Wight (7).

West of Scotland: C Davis, Curteis, McKenzie, Matheson, Sim, Stevenson, M Davis; McLaren, Haswell, Ross, McAlpine, Marshall, de Sainte Croix, McFarland, Fisken. Subs used: Malone, Menzies, Carmichael, Barron, McDonald.

Melrose: Thomson, Anderson, J Murray, Ford, C Murray, Wight, Chrystie; Little, W Mitchell, Holborn, Elder, H Mitchell, Dalziel, G Runciman, G Dodds. Subs used: Jackson, McCormick, Innes, Beavons, Miller.

Referee: Graham Knox.