Home wins for Gala and Melrose in rugby’s Scottish National League Division 1

Watsonians halting a Melrose attack during their 18-defeat at the Greenyards on Saturday (Pic: Bryan Robertson)

That’s the first weekend to see both the region’s representatives in the division emerge victorious since the second of the season, seven weeks previously.

Melrose’s tries at the Greenyards were scored by James Brown and Roly Brett, with Struan Hutchison adding two penalties and a conversion.

Touching down for Gala at Netherdale were Richie Tod, Tim McKavanagh, Robbie Irvine at the double, Murray Wilson and Jack Easson, with Scott Peffers adding two penalties and three conversions.

Those wins leave Melrose fifth in the table, with 22 points from eight fixtures, and Gala seventh, on 18 from nine.

They were first victories for weeks for both, Melrose’s last one prior having been a 53-31 derby success at home to Gala at the end of September, also counting for the Border League, and their Galashiels rivals’ a 35-21 win hosting Biggar the weekend before.

Melrose and Gala are both at home again this coming Saturday, with kick-offs at 3pm, to Glasgow Hutchesons’ Aloysians and Watsonians respectively.

Both kicked off the current season at the start of September by losing the reverse fixtures, Melrose by 42-16 at Braidholm and Gala by 69-17 at the capital’s Myreside Stadium.

Gala’s next Border League game is away to Jed-Forest on Saturday, December 16, and Melrose’s at Selkirk on Friday, February 23.