Victory on road in Edinburgh a bonus for Melrose

Will Ferrie, a hat-trick hero for Melrose at the weekend against Stewart's Melville, pictured in action in the reverse fixture in the Borders in November, a 45-13 victory for the hosts (Pic: Douglas Hardie)

Melrose’s second-last game of the current Tennent’s National League Division 1 rugby season away to Stewart’s Melville might have been a dead rubber for both teams but someone must have forgotten to tell them as they scored 71 points between them, with the result going the visitors’ way by 43-28.

Head coach Bert Grigg’s Borderers, currently on 81 points from 21 fixtures, look destined to stay third but could end up second if Ayr slip up and their Edinburgh hosts are already relegated but both sides gave it a go at Inverleith at the weekend.

Melrose’s tries were scored by Connor Spence, Will Ferrie with a hat-trick, Harry Makowski, Struan Hutchison and Archie Pilcher, with David Colvine adding four conversions.

On the scoresheet for their hosts, assisted by a penalty try, were Euan Macrury, George Lee and Jamie Sword, with Euan Morrison converting all three.

Melrose’s final league game is at home to eighth-placed Dundee at the Greenyards on Saturday, April 15, with kick-off at 3pm.

Captain Colvine was happy to come away from the capital with a bonus-point victory at the weekend even if that extra point is unlikely to make too much difference come season’s end, telling Borders Rugby TV afterwards: “The scoreline probably doesn’t reflect how the game went.

“It was a bit of a scrappy game and not one we’re awfully proud of but we’re obviously glad to have got the bonus point in the end and we’ve just got to take that onto the next one, our last game of the season, and try to improve there.”