Third win on bounce for Jed-Forest at Marr
Jed-Forest extended their current winning streak to three fixtures in all competitions by edging out Marr 32-26 away in South Ayrshire on Saturday.
That’s their third win of this Arnold Clark National League Division 1 rugby season and their first on the road, following ones at home by 35-31 against Gordonians seven days earlier and 30-28 against Boroughmuir in September.
It’s also their third in a row all together taking into account a 42-24 Border League victory hosting Peebles on Saturday, November 15.
Those results against the Aberdeen outfit and the Pees were their first back-to-back wins since January and Saturday’s away-day gave head coach Michael Harshaw’s team their first successive national league successes for just over ten months and lift them up one place to seventh in the table, on 18 points from ten fixtures.
Their try-scorers in Troon were replacement Robbie Shirra-Gibb, lock Clark Skeldon, tighthead prop Jack Taylor and loosehead prop Andrew Kirk, with openside flanker Finn Scott adding three conversions and two penalties.
Jed No 8 and captain Garry Young was chuffed to bits to see his side keep up their winning ways, telling Borders Rugby TV: “It was a really good result over at Marr,
“I couldn’t be prouder of the guys and the way they stuck in.
“It’s never an easy place to go to and it’s been kind of a bogey away game for us for loads of years now.
“That’s back-to-back wins in the league and that’s our first win away from home for a while, so I’m really chuffed with that.”
National 1 rivals Gala were hit by their fourth loss on the bounce by 24-12 at home to Edinburgh Academical on Saturday, following defeats by 41-33 hosting Glasgow Academicals a week earlier and 29-10 at Gordonians and 14-12 at Boroughmuir in October.
That eighth loss of this term leaves head coach Ewen Robbie’s team second from bottom of the table, level on a dozen points from ten games with basement side Gordonians but with points-conceded difference 37 better.
Left-winger Ben Gill scored both of the Maroons’ tries at Netherdale at the weekend, one of them converted by replacement Cameron Brydon.
“It’s a hard one to take,” said Gill. “It was close throughout the whole game.
“We had a lot of chances, in the first half especially, but we were unable to come away with any points. A few silly mistakes cost us points as well.”
Jed are at home to eighth-placed Biggar this Saturday and Gala are away to league leaders Stirling County, both 3pm kick-offs.