Hawick Linden end six-game losing streak at home to Duns in rugby’s Scottish East Region League Division 2

That 23-0 victory at Volunteer Park was Linden’s f​irst since they got the better of the same opposition on the road by 25-22 in mid-September.

It was a third defeat on the trot – and eighth in nine games so far this season – for the Dingers, their last win having been by 59-12 at home to Livingston in mid-October, and it leaves them rooted to the bottom of the table, on four points.

Linden are second from bottom, with 14 points from ten fixtures, ahead of a visit from Edinburgh’s Corstophine this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 2pm, their opponents being three points and two league places better off than them.

Next for Duns is a visit from second-placed Dunbar this Saturday, that game also kicking off at 2pm.

Stuart Hair, Graham Colville and Craig Glendinning scored tries for the hosts at the weekend, with Shaun Guesford, playing for the first time since Linden’s win at Duns over two months previously, adding two penalties and Justin Tait a conversion.

Hair’s appearance was his first start of this season.

Half-time substitute Colville’s try was his 102nd for Linden.

Rio Akpokavi made his first-XV debut for the Dingers as a half-time replacement, becoming the 60th player to pull on a Duns jersey this season.

Towards the other end of the experience spectrum, Callum Angus was playing his 50th match for the club.

Duns lost Angus Tullie to a neck injury with only three minutes on the clock and his replacement, Chris Roberts, was forced off in turn midway through the first half by a knee problem.

Saturday's match was preceded by a minute’s applause for late former player Finlay Street following his death in a car crash on the A7 Edinburgh-Carlisle road north of Heriot on Sunday, October 29.

The Borders’ other side in the division, Hawick Harlequins, were also in action at the weekend, losing 25-6 away to Livingston.

That loss at Almond Park, their third on the trot and sixth altogether this campaign, leaves them fourth in the table, with 19 points from ten fixtures.

Their sole scorer in West Lothian was Adam Hall with two penalties

Next up for Quins is a visit from third-placed Dalkeith this Saturday, the Midlothian men being 15 points better off than their hosts and with two games in hand.

A division down, Earlston bounced back from a 19-0 defeat away to fifth-placed Lismore two weeks previously to beat Inverleith 55-3 at home on Saturday.

That was their eighth win in nine games this season and it keeps them four points clear of Trinity Academicals at the top of the Scottish East Region League Division 3, with 38 points to their name, ahead of a visit from Gala YM on Saturday, December 2, at 2pm.

YM – currently second from bottom of the table, on minus-two points from six fixtures – are in action in the interim, hosting fourth-placed Edinburgh University Medics this coming Saturday, also at 2pm.