Gala stay top of rugby’s Tennent’s National League Division 1 after fifth win on spin

Head coach Stuart Johnson’s Galashiels side have also picked up try bonus points in four of their wins so far, leaving them just 4% short of a 100% return.

They remain in pole position following their 23-17 victory at Biggar at the weekend but they’re only a point in front of second-placed Kelso, also on a five-game winning streak but with one fewer bonus point to show for their efforts, ahead of the two teams’ top-of-the-table Borders derby at the league leaders’ Netherdale home ground this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm.

Gala’s try-scorers in South Lanarkshire were Angus Dun and captain Liam Scott, with Russell Kerr adding two conversions and a penalty and Craig Dods contributing two further penalties after a Biggar fightback saw the scores level at 17-all with just over ten minutes left to play.

Their hosts’ points came via tries from former Peebles and Gala centre and second-row Craig Borthwick and Jordan McLean and two conversions and a penalty from Euan Bogle.

Gala No 12 Tim McKavanagh was delighted to see his side notch up wins at Hartree Mill in successive seasons, telling Borders Rugby TV: “It was good. A lot of teams will come here and not stay in the game.

“There were points there where we defending on our own line with 14 men and other teams would have conceded there.

“It’s just about the heart we’ve got as a team to grind out wins like that.”

Looking ahead to Saturday’s visit from Kelso, he added: “It’s going to be a good one because whoever wins that goes to the top of the table a couple of points clear. We’re all looking forward to it, both teams.”

Skipper Scott was also glad to see his side edge past Biggar at the death, saying: “It’s absolutely brilliant.

“It was never going to be easy to come to Hartree Mill and get a win so I can’t fault the boys.

“We were really under the cosh sometimes, especially in that second half when we went down to 14 men on our own line. The character we showed to come back from that and march up the pitch and make it 23-17 and take the win was just brilliant.

“We’re relishing the prospect of playing Kelso at home now. It’s great.

“These are the games you want to play in, top-of-the-league clashes at home. We can’t wait. We just need to take the same energy, the same verve, into that and we’ll be fine.”