First win for 20 months in rugby’s Border League for Jed-Forest

That 47-26 victory at Jedburgh’s Riverside Park was only their second fixture of this campaign, following on from an 81-21 thumping away to Melrose at the Greenyards in August.

It’s also their first win in the regional competition since one at home to the same opposition back in March 2024, by 32-15, though they have drawn twice in the interim, 19-19 hosting Melrose in April 2024 and 26-26 at home to Kelso in January this year.

Saturday’s result leaves head coach Michael Harshaw’s second-from-bottom team as one of five level on four points, along with third-placed Kelso, fourth-placed Gala, fifth-placed Hawick and new basement side Peebles.

Kelso and Hawick, like Jed, have played twice, giving them a game in hand on Gala and the Pees.

The tables’s only teams not tied on four points are top dogs Melrose on 12, and second-placed Selkirk on eight, both from four matches.

The Border League’s next fixture – one of four left to be played this calendar year – sees Hawick at home to Kelso on Saturday, November 29, with kick-off at 3pm, and it’s an Arnold Clark Premiership double-header.

Full-back Lewis Young scored three tries for Jed at the weekend on his 250th appearance for the club, taking his tally to 132, with Aaron Weatherhead, left-winger and Matthew Palmer and replacements Paulo Ferreira and Lewis Elder also touching down and inside-centre Finn Scott adding four conversions and fly-half Weatherhead another two.

Matt Carryer, Ben Sutherland and Rohan Maciver were their Gytes opposition’s try-scorers and head coach Graeme Paterson’s visitors were also awarded a penalty try.

Jed and Gala return to action in Arnold Clark National League Division 1 this coming Saturday after a month off and they’re both at home for 3pm kick-offs, against Gordonians and Glasgow Academicals respectively.

A division down, Peebles are away to Stewart’s Melville, with kick-off in Edinburgh an hour earlier.

Eight fixtures into the season, Jed remain bottom of their table, on eight points, with Ewen Robbie’s Maroons two places and four points better off.

Peebles are eighth in division 2, on 14 points from eight fixtures.