Gala targeting unbeaten run-in to end of Tennent's National League Division 1 rugby season

Gala on the attack against Glasgow Hawks in extra time during their 26-23 first-round Scottish cup defeat at Netherdale on Saturday (Photo: Alwyn Johnston)

The Tennent’s National League Division 1 side took their higher-level opposition to 20 minutes of extra time at home at Netherdale in Galashiels but eventually lost out to a Gavin Cruickshanks penalty, taking the scoreline to 26-23 in the visitors’ favour with 100 minutes on the clock.

The hosts’ scorers were Tim McKavanagh and captain Angus Dun with tries, Craig Dods adding two conversions and three penalties.

The Glaswegians’ tries were scored by Ross Darroch, Seb Hastings and Eric Davey, with Henry Lapslie converting one and Cruickshanks kicking three penalties.

Gala players celebrating Tim MacKavanagh's opening try two minutes into the game (Pic: Alwyn Johnston)

Hawks, after being tied 17-all at half-time and 20-all with 80 minutes played, now progress to a second-round tie at Dundee at the end of March but the Maroons weren’t left empty-handed at the end of Saturday’s cup exit as there are plenty of positives they can take from it and apply to the remainder of their current league campaign, according to Dods, their top-scorer at the weekend with 13 points.

“We definitely went into it looking to prove a point,” the fly-half told Borders Rugby TV afterwards.

“They’re sixth in the premiership but it was really disappointing for us to lose, which is a good place to be as it’s good to be disappointed, but we’re disappointed none the less as we definitely had opportunities to win the game.

“It was another good performance for us. We maybe could have won that in 80 minutes.”

Angus Dun touching down for Gala versus Glasgow Hawks (Pic: Alwyn Johnston)

Looking ahead to Gala’s run-in to the end of the season, Dods wants to see his team targeting seven wins from the seven matches they’ve got to go, adding: “If we’re on it, we’re definitely one of the better teams in National 1, so there’s no reason now why we can’t go the rest of the season unbeaten, absolutely zero reason, with the talent we’ve got in that dressing room.”

Gala – currently fourth in the table, with 46 points from 15 games – are next in action at home to Highland, one league place and one point worse off than them as things stand, on Saturday, February 18, with kick-off at 3pm.