Gala's bid for promotion to rugby's Tennent's Premiership back on track after victory in Glasgow

Gala got their Tennent’s National League Division 1 title tilt back on track with a 30-7 victory at Cartha Queen’s Park on Saturday and they’ll be hoping to do the double against the Glaswegians in the reverse fixture this weekend.
By Darin Hutson
Published 7th Mar 2022, 18:14 BST
Will Owen on the ball for Melrose against Stirling Wolves on Saturday (Photo: Douglas Hardie)Will Owen on the ball for Melrose against Stirling Wolves on Saturday (Photo: Douglas Hardie)
Will Owen on the ball for Melrose against Stirling Wolves on Saturday (Photo: Douglas Hardie)

The Galashiels side’s bonus-point win at Dumbreck takes them to within a point of second-placed Biggar and just three behind table-toppers Heriot’s Blues with a game in hand on both as the present season draws to a close.

Third-placed Gala’s 33-29 home defeat by Biggar the weekend before had dealt a blow to their push for promotion to the Tennent’s Premiership but the title remains theirs to lose and they’ve still got to play both the teams above them before the current campaign wraps up on Saturday, April 23.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Head coach Fraser Thomson’s team are now on 69 points from 17 matches, with five games left to play, beginning with Cartha’s visit to Netherdale this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm.

Most Popular
Melrose's David Colvine fending off a Stirling Wolves challenge (Photo: Douglas Hardie)Melrose's David Colvine fending off a Stirling Wolves challenge (Photo: Douglas Hardie)
Melrose's David Colvine fending off a Stirling Wolves challenge (Photo: Douglas Hardie)

Gala’s try-scorers in Glasgow were Lachlan Johnston, John Turnbull, Euan Dods and Josh Irvine, with Craig Dods adding two conversions and two penalties.

Backs coach Craig Jackson was pleased by his side’s response to the disappointment of the week before, telling Borders Rugby TV: “We started the game pretty strong. We knew we had to bounce back after a disappointing week last week.

“We controlled the majority of the play. It wasn’t as one-sided as the scoreline would suggest, though. Cartha had their spells in the game and put us under pressure, but the boys dug in and got a vital bonus point on the road so we move on to next week and we go again against Cartha.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Fourth-placed Melrose also won, 51-14 at home to Stirling Wolves, and they’re now on 66 points from 19 games.

Gavin Wood in action for Melrose versus Stirling Wolves on Saturday (Photo: Douglas Hardie)Gavin Wood in action for Melrose versus Stirling Wolves on Saturday (Photo: Douglas Hardie)
Gavin Wood in action for Melrose versus Stirling Wolves on Saturday (Photo: Douglas Hardie)

Melrose’s try-scorers were Logan Kirk, Angus Runciman, Bruce Colvine, Calum Crookshanks, Struan Hutchison, Robin Sharp and Ross McConnell, with David Colvine adding two penalties and five conversions.

Fifth-placed Kelso couldn’t complete a clean sweep for the region’s sides in the division, their 21-20 defeat at eighth-placed Dundee leaving them on 53 points from 19 games.

Melrose are on the road to Dundee this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm, but Kelso have got the weekend off.

Related topics:MelrosePremiership