Derby-day defeat by Gala knocks Kelso off top spot in rugby’s Tennent’s National League Division 1

Kyle Scott getting a tackle in for Gala against Kelso on Saturday (Pic: Charles Brooker)

Borders derbies are proving to be an Achilles heel for Kelso this Tennent’s National League Division 1 rugby season, having had a six-game winning streak brought to a halt at home to Gala on Saturday.

That 36-31 defeat at Poynder Park was only their second loss of the current campaign, the other having been by 16-14 at Melrose at the end of October.

They’ve got one league derby to go, though – at home to Melrose on Saturday, February 25, with kick-off at 3pm – so they’re still in with a chance of levelling the score in their dealings with their regional rivals, having gotten the better of Gala, for the first time in 16 years, by 27-23 away in mid-October.

Kelso’s loss at the weekend also derailed what appeared to be shaping up to be a victory parade towards the title and promotion to the Tennent’s Premiership, knocking them off top spot, though, with 65 points from 15 fixtures, they’re only two points shy of new league leaders Ayr, 45-14 victors at Aberdeen Grammar at the weekend, and have a game in hand on them.

Bruce McNeil on the attack for Kelso versus Gala (Pic: Charles Brooker)

Gala remain in fourth place, with 46 points from 15 matches.

Terry Logan scored two of Kelso’s tries against their visitors from Galashiels, with Euan Knox and Allan Frame touching down their others and Dwain Patterson converting all four as well as kicking a penalty.

Gala’s tries were scored by Tim McKavanagh, Keith Young, James Glendinning and captain Angus Dun, with Harris Rutherford kicking two penalties and two conversions and Craig Dods also slotting away two penalties.

Kelso remain very much in the frame for promotion despite Saturday’s setback and will be aiming to win as many of the seven games they’ve got left to play to try to reclaim pole position, however, according to scrum-half Andy Tait.

Harris Rutherford on the ball for Gala during his side's 36-31 victory at Kelso on Saturday (Photo: Charles Brooker)

“We’re disappointed but there’s no easy game in this league,” he told Borders Rugby TV afterwards.

“We might have dropped into second place but nothing’s really changed.

“The goal was to win every game remaining this season to give ourselves the best possible chance and that doesn’t change after that defeat.

“We’ve still got hope, we’re still in the mix and that’s the main thing. That’s all we can do.”

Gala's Harris Rutherford challenging Kelso's Kevin Dryden on Saturday (Pic: Charles Brooker)

Fly-half Rutherford, Gala’s biggest points-scorer on the day, was glad to see his side get one over on their rivals, adding: “That speed of play is the type of rugby we want to play.

“We train like that but we haven’t had a chance to play like that and at times today we did and obviously it was successful.”

Kelso resume their title challenge at home to seventh-placed Dundee this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm, but Gala aren’t back in league action until Saturday, February 18, hosting fifth-placed Highland that day, also with kick-off at 3pm.

The Maroons are in action in rugby’s Scottish cup’s first round this Saturday, though, hosting Tennent’s Premiership outfit Glasgow Hawks, with kick-off at 2pm.

Kelso join that competition at its second-round stage on Saturday, March 25, at 3pm, hosting either South Lanarkshire’s Biggar or Edinburgh’s Heriot’s Blues.