Melrose 55 Kelso 3

B.S.P.C.Border League fare was on offer on this cold afternoon with a strong wind blowing the length of the pitch. Melrose started in to the wind and after seven minutes Scott Ruthven opened the scoring with a penalty. Three minutes later, on his own 22 Scott McCormick slipped a tackle at the base of a wheeling scrum and outstripped the Kelso defence to score a long distance try to the right of the posts, Ruthven converting. At 19 minutes Kevin Utterson kicked a penalty, having missed one two minutes earlier, to put Kelso on the scoresheet. A "flare up" at 25 minutes led to Ruthven kicking his second penalty. A second episode at 33 minutes saw Nick Beavon and Stuart Weir being shown "yellow cards". Slick handling at 38 minutes ended with Alec Jessop scoring a try between the posts with Ruthven adding the conversion. Straight from the kick off Melrose attacked with John Dalziel ending a good move with a try, Ruthven, again, converting.
Half time - Melrose 27 Kelso 3.
Kelso pressed hard into the wind in the second half, but, at 58 minutes, lost the ball in contact close to the Melrose line. With three long passes across the in goal area to the opposite wing Melrose ended with a 3 on 1 overlap allowing Barry Watson to scorch up the far touchline passing in field to David Whiteford who crossed for a try wit Ruthven converting. Four minutes later Callum Anderson nipped through the gap between the Kelso centres to score a try to the left of the posts for yet another Ruthven conversion. Two minutes later Jessop intercepted a Kelso pass off-loading to Graham Innes who scored a try between the posts for Ruthven's straight-forward conversion. Two minutes from the end Anderson finished a movement with his second try in the corner leaving Ruthven with a difficult, but successful, conversion from the touchline.
Melrose 55 Kelso 3.