Gala and Jed-Forest get 2026 off to losing start in rugby’s Arnold Clark National League Division 1
Gala and Jed-Forest both remain just single figures in points away from the bottom of rugby’s Arnold Clark National League Division 1 after getting 2026 off to a losing start on Saturday.
Returning to action after over a month off, head coach Ewen Robbie’s Maroons were edged out 28-27 at home to Marr at Netherdale and Michael Harshaw’s Jed were beaten 48-28 on the road at Glasgow Academicals.
Both picked up consolation losing bonus points, however, edging them away from the relegation spot currently occupied by Gordonians, given a 57-14 thumping at Stirling County at the weekend.
Those results, 13 fixtures into the season, leave Gala second from bottom of the table on 15 points, three clear of the Aberdeen outfit, and Jed eighth on 19.
Captained by Craig Keddie, Gala’s try-scorers against their third-placed visitors from Troon were left-winger Ritchie Mitchell, outside-centre Ben Gill and lock Daniel Kerr, with fly-half Hamish Seggie kicking three conversions and two penalties.
Inside-centre Logan Kerr, loosehead prop Andrew Kirk, hooker James Pese and full-back Lewis Young scored the Garry Young-skippered Jedburgh side’s tries at Glasgow’s New Anniesland, with openside flanker Finn Scott converting all four of them.
This coming Saturday sees Gala away to seventh-placed Biggar and Jed at home to second-placed Edinburgh Academical, with kick-offs at Hartree Mill and Riverside Park at 2pm and 3pm respectively.
October’s reverse fixtures saw Gala get the better of their South Lanarkshire neighbours by 29-21 and Jed given an 89-5 battering in the capital.