Southern Knights step up play-off challenge with bonus-point win against Boroughmuir Bears

​That result as good as ends Bears’ hopes of a top-four finish, pitting Knights against their next opponents, Stirling Wolves, for fourth place.

The Melrose team’s win at the weekend saw them retain possession of that place in the standings, with 25 points from ten fixtures and only two matches of the regular season left to go, and Tait is hoping they can keep hold of it into November to earn a semi-final play-off.

Wolves – on 23 points following their 78-0 win hosting the Fosroc Future XV on Friday – have a game in hand on them, however, at third-placed Watsonians this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 5pm.

That follows a rescheduled fixture at home to second-placed Heriot’s this Wednesday night.

Knights have got this weekend off ahead of their trip to Stirling on Friday, October 27, with kick-off at 7.35pm, and Tait says he’s glad of that respite after seeing two more players pick up injuries at the Greenyards on Saturday.

“We’re really looking forward to a week off as we picked up another two pretty bad injuries on Saturday,” he said.

“Johnny Rutherford did his shoulder in and it looks as if that could be him for the season and Dan Gamble hurt his neck so he’ll be touch and go as well.

“We’ll see how Dan gets on but Johnny I think will definitely be out. I’m gutted for the lad as he’s had shoulder problems before and a couple of operations in the past few years and was desperate to get back going at it.”

Knights had to come from behind to notch up their fourth win of the season on Saturday as head coach Graham Shiel’s visitors were 8-5 up at half-time and went 15-12 ahead after the break.

Their hosts’ tries were scored by hooker Corbin Thunder at the double, full-back Donald Crawford and replacement prop Mikey Jones, with captain Gregor McNeish converting three and also kicking a penalty.

Touching down for the Edinburgh side were full-back Euan Muirhead and skipper Craig Keddie, with fly-half George Paul kicking a penalty and his replacement, Andrew McLean, adding a conversion.

Knights were lucky to be only three points behind at the interval, according to Tait, but he was heartened by the way they then took advantage of the narrowness of that deficit to turn the game on its head.

“The first 40 minutes we want to forget but the second 40 were how we want to play,” said the 59-year-old.

“We were dreadful in the first half. We were just asleep. We just didn’t get into our stride but we settled down a bit after half-time

“The guys all buy into how we want to play and those that came off the bench made a huge contribution as well.

“It’s not easy sometimes being sat on the bench but they all came on and did well.

“We gave Mikey Jones a run out and he made a big difference and our forwards Luke Thompson and Archie Hosking gave us some extra zip in there.

“It’s always a battle against the Bears as they’re like an angry wasp. You just can’t get rid of them and they keep coming back at you.

“They’ve got quite a few Borders lads in there too, like Corey Tait and Craig Keddie, and they want to get one over their old mates and they fought to the bitter end, like they always do.

“We spoke about that all week, saying that if we didn’t take our chances, that lot would always be in the game, but we managed to get the win and four tries as well.

“They’re a dangerous side the Bears, with some good young players.”