10-try victory takes Gala to top of rugby’s Tennent’s National League Division 1 table

Gala prop Blair Reavely trying to find a way through Cartha Queen's Park's defence on Saturday (Photo: Bill McBurnie)

Whether the Galashiels side can pull that off remains in their own hands but they’ve now used up all their games in hand on second-placed Heriot’s Blues and third-placed Biggar, all three having four matches left to go after playing 18.

It continues to be tight at the top, with Gala, on 74 points, only two clear of the former and three ahead of the latter and still to play both, the capital side at home on Saturday, April 16, and their South Lanarkshire near neighbours away two weeks prior to that.

First up, though, they host Highland at Netherdale on Saturday, March 26, with kick-off at 3pm.

Gala full-back Murray Wilson on the ball against Cartha Queen's Park, with Jack Williamson in support (Photo: Bill McBurnie)

The Borderers’ try-scorers at the weekend against their visitors from Glasgow were Fergus Johnston on three minutes, Blair Reavely on 31, Euan Dods on 40, 47 and 68, Marius Tamosaitis on 41, Craig Dods on 56, John Turnbull on 65, Robbie Irvine on 73 and Jack Williamson right at the end.

Eight of those 10 tries were converted by fly-half Craig Dods, and he told Borders Rugby TV afterwards: “Cartha are a decent squad.

“They’ve always got a bit of dog about them, and to be fair, they threw a cracking try and put us under a bit of pressure in that first half, but we were pleased that we stuck to our process and we moved the ball wide, and the wind helped us a little bit to put that pressure on and we ended up running out comfortable winners.

“We’re confident that our shape will kill teams and we saw that. It’s just working on that depth in our shape that will help us.”

Gala back-row player Euan Dods scored a hat-trick of tries against Cartha Queen's Park (Photo: Bill McBurnie)

Dods is also pleased to have finally caught up with Gala’s title challengers in terms of games played, saying: “This puts us to the top of the league, which is great, and now we’ve no games in hand, which is brilliant.

“It’s always better to have points in the bank than games in hand.

“We’re looking forward to a week off next week now and building on the next couple of games.”

Graeme Docherty got two of second-bottom Cartha’s tries and Patrick O’Brien touched down the other, with two conversions being added by Wayne Burrows.