Kelso and Gala now level on points in rugby’s Border League after home win for Maroons v top-flight opposition
Saturday’s 31-24 defeat for top-flight Kelso away to Arnold Clark National League Division 1’s Gala was one of only two games of senior rugby to go ahead in the Borders at the weekend.
The other was a 37-17 victory for Selkirk A away to Jed-Forest Lions in the Border junior league the night before.
They were among four fixtures scheduled for the weekend, with the other two – Jed-Forest’s first XV hosting Hawick at Riverside Park on Saturday in the Border League and a reserves’ league trip to Gala Reivers for Melrose Storm the evening prior – being called off.
Those postponements were due to both sets of hosts being unable to muster teams.
They were among 23 men’s matches nationwide called off because of clubs being unable to put teams together, 21 of them cup ties, almost half the number originally scheduled for the weekend.
Saturday’s result was Kelso’s first defeat in the regional league and the Maroons’ first win and it leaves them level on four points, the former from two games and the latter from three.
Co-head coaches Nikki Walker and Bruce McNeil’s Kelso are third in the table and Ewen Robbie’s Gala sixth, both eight points behind league leaders Melrose and four points clear of basement side Jed-Forest.
Friday’s result takes the Souters five points clear at the top of their table, on 23 points from five fixtures, with Storm second on 18 from four and Jed fourth on 13 from four.
This Thursday is due to see Kelso Sharks at home to Gala, with Storm hosting Jed and Selkirk away to Peebles Reds on Friday, all 7.30pm kick-offs.