Gala up to second in table after seventh win of this rugby season

That 24-19 victory at Netherdale takes head coach Ewen Robbie’s Maroons to 35 points from nine fixtures, but table-toppers Stirling County remain ten points clear in pole position, on 45 from nine, after beating Jed-Forest 117-14 at home at Bridgehaugh Park at the same time.

The division’s other Borderers, Selkirk, remain seven points adrift at the bottom of the table after losing 26-21 away to Musselburgh at the weekend.

Nine rounds into the season, head coach Michael Harshaw’s Jed are eighth on 17 points and Derek O’Riordan’s Souters are two places below them on eight.

Captained by No 8 Robbie Irvine, Gala’s try-scorers were full-back Jack Niven, openside flanker Angus Dun and lock Glenn McCrum, with fly-half Harris Rutherford adding three conversions and a 79th-minute penalty.

Touching down tries for their third-placed Troon opponents were Euan McAra, Logan Hendrie and Jack Scott, with Calum Inglis kicking two conversions.

Jed’s try-scorers were lock Shane Kellett, touching down his first for the club, and inside-centre and captain Aaron Weatherhead, and No 8 Finn Scott converted both.

Hooker Keir Thomson, replacement Oliver McClymont and full-back Josh Welsh scored Selkirk’s tries in East Lothian, with McClymont adding two conversions and scrum-half Alfie Lightfoot another.

Their sixth-placed hosts’ tries were touched down by Sandy Watt, Michael Badenhorst, Murray McCowan and Tom Foley, with Paul Cunningham adding three conversions.

National 1’s next fixture card is for Saturday, November 14, and it sees fourth-placed Gala hosting Glasgow Academicals, Jed away to Musselburgh and Selkirk at home to fifth-placed Boroughmuir, all 3pm kick-offs.

Last season’s corresponding fixtures for Gala and Jed saw the former beaten 41-33 at Netherdale last November and the latter end up on the wrong side of a 50-28 scoreline at Stoneyhill the month before.

Selkirk last hosted Boroughmuir at Philiphaugh in January 2016 for a 34-12 beating in what was then the BT Premiership, though they have since met on the road in the capital this season, with the Edinburgh outfit winning 27-17 in August.

Saturday gone also saw Peebles beating Falkirk 54-12 at home at the Gytes a division down.

Their eight tries, all but one of them converted by fly-half Liam Irvine, were touched down by loosehead prop John Gray and tighthead prop Robbie Hardie at the double, left-winger Louis Whyte, hooker and captain Matt Carryer, outside-centre Tom Weir and the No 10.

Logan McKenzie and Sean Taylor scored the visitors’ tries in reply, one of them converted.

That sixth win of the season leaves head coach Graeme Paterson’s Pees third in Arnold Clark National League Division 2, on 28 points from eight fixtures, ahead of a visit from seventh-placed Howe of Fife on Saturday, November 28, with kick-off at 3pm.