Gala 31-19 Highland: Gill ‘wonder-try’ as Borderers start National 1 season with win

After Highland full-back Adriu Muritoki was sin binned early on for a high tackle, Gala took advantage of their numerical supremacy to go 7-0 up as Jack Easson crashed over for a try which was converted by Harris Rutherford.

But Stephen Murray brought the Inverness side back into it by going over for a try, making the score 7-5 in Gala’s favour.

And things then got worse for the Netherdale hosts as a Ritchie Dinnes score for the visitors was converted by Scott Fraser to make it 12-7 for the away team after 29 minutes.

There was a second disciplinary issue for Highland as their number four Euan Milton was yellow carded three minutes later.

Once again, the Borders outfit made their extra man advantage pay as, within three minutes they had turned the match around to establish a two-point advantage as Tim McKavanagh scored a try and the conversion was good from Rutherford.

Leading 14-12 at half-time, Gala established a 21-12 lead within just two minutes of the restart when a brilliant kick from McKavanagh set up number 11 Gregor Collins up for a score underneath the posts and the conversion attempt was again well taken by Rutherford.

A Rutherford penalty on the hour mark then extended the home side’s lead to 12 points.

The highlight of the game then came six minutes later as Gala’s Ben Gill produced an absolute wonder-try before Rutherford again added two further points with his boot.

Highland then blew a potential try of their own by knocking on in the goal area, before the Inverness men did add a further seven points to their tally as Hugo Crush scored a try which Fraser converted.

With just four minutes remaining it was the Maroons’ turn to be reduced to 14 players as Ritchie Mitchell saw yellow as he was a victim of consecutive team fouls.

There was no further scoring as Gala made a winning start to the National 1 campaign, having finished down in third bottom spot in season 2023-24.

Meanwhile, in the same division, there was a tough start to the new National 1 season for Gala’s fellow Borderers Peebles, who went down to a 51-6 defeat at Stirling County.

Newly-promoted Peebles had gone into this match on a high, having been crowned National 2 champions last term when they won 15, drew two and lost only one of their 18 league games to accumulate a 77-point final total which was six points better than second-placed Falkirk, who finished above third-placed Lasswade on points difference.

But visiting a strong Stirling County side proved to be a huge step up in class as Peebles were swatted aside by 45 points.

The only six points recorded for Graeme Paterson’s side at Bridgehaugh last weekend came via two penalties successfully kicked by Donald Anderson in the first half.

Trailing 15-6 at the interval, Peebles caved in during the second half as they conceded a further 36 points without troubling the scoreboard again themselves.