Boroughmuir 0

SCOTTISH CUP ROUND 6

Giant-killers Melrose progressed to the quarter-finals of the Scottish Hydro Electric Cup with a convincing win over league champions Boroughmuir on Saturday.

Having already seen off title-holders Glasgow Hawks, the Border club continued their cup form in a game that gave the crowd at Greenyards a glimpse of some of the best attacking and defensive play seen there this season.

Despite increasing pressure from the visitors, Melrose dominated the first half and won an early penalty which stand-off Scott Wight easily converted.

Soon after a crucial tackle from John Dalziel stopped the Edinburgh side capitalising on an interception by Greg Cottrell, Wight scored his second three-pointer.

The only try of the game came in the first half when winger David Whiteford gathered the ball from a kick by full-back Jordan Macey to touch down over the line. Wight once again converted before adding a neatly-placed drop goal moments later.

The second half was an altogether different story as Boroughmuir turned up the heat in repeated attempts to reduce the deficit.

But despite their efforts, including a series of penalties within the Melrose 22, the visitors were unable to break the hosts' defence.

Advantage in both territory and possession amounted to little as Melrose, inspired by the tackling of Dalziel, fought off attack after attack, preventing the league leaders from scoring any points at all.

In fact, it was the Border side that looked most like scoring when Bill Wallace broke through the defence, only to lose the ball as he crossed the line.

Coach Craig Chalmers later praised Dalziel saying he had never seen such a solid defensive performance from a Melrose side.

Melrose: J. Macey; C. Anderson, J. Murray, G. Stewart, D. Whiteford; S. Wight, S. McCormick, K. Cooney, W. Mitchell, R. Higgins, S. Johnson, G. Dodds, B. Wallace, J. Dalziel, R. Miller. Subs: G. Innes, N. Beavon, S. Ruthven, A. Jessop.