LATE SCORE GIVES VICTORY TO GHA AND STUNS MELROSE

ARNOLD CLARK PREMIERSHIP

SATURDAY 30th AUGUST 2025

GHA 13 MELROSE 10

By Chris Nairn

Following the tremendous victory by GHA at Hawick last week there was an air of excitement and anticipation circling at Braidholm on Saturday.  The club environs were in great condition as the club welcomed Melrose to their first league home match of the season. All at Braidholm know this league is a considerable step up from National 1 and will require a consistent level of performance and commitment to allow GHA to establish themselves amongst the elite of Scottish rugby.  A busy club lunch preceded the match and there was the prospect of a good crowd attending.  As part of my match day duties (checking team sheets, late changes, number changes et al.) I am granted access to the inner sanctum of the 1XV ‘s squad changing area. The squad now have superb new changing facilities, encompassing soft lighting, numbered lockers and improved benching. This, along with our new attractive playing kit, brings a whole fresh and dynamic dimension to the determination of the squad and coaches to ensure that no one dismisses GHA as mere lightweights at this level.

Both sides went through a variety of stretching exercises and loosening up work before going through a raft of simulations and set plays. The pitch was in very good condition, although the appearance of  persistent rain  just before kick-off would give the pitch and ball a greasy covering which would make ball retention difficult. Our good friends at Williamwood Pipe Band assisted our Junior section in providing a guard of honour to welcome the players to the pitch.

The home side kicked off with Andrew Goudie sending a high testing kick into the Melrose half. With speed of foot, GHA got to the ball first and a superb break by Glen Little took him through a surprised Melrose defence before being stopped inside the Melrose twenty-two metre area. The home side retained possession and drove towards the Melrose line before the ball went forward, and a scrum was awarded. It took three resets before the scrum took place. This constant resetting of the scrum and realignment of feet was to take place at scrum time throughout the match and robbed the game of some momentum at critical moments. Melrose cleared the immediate danger up to their ten metre line. As we approached five minutes of the match the home side used the won lineout ball to attack Melrose, with Charlie Lonergan punching a hole through the Melrose rearguard before he was engulfed in defensive tackles, and a highly competent Melrose pack won back possession, and Roly Brett cleared the danger up to halfway. Melrose seemed slightly taken aback by this early penetration by the home side and clearly garnered themselves for what was going to be a difficult afternoon. The very hardworking Jack Dobie took the ball into contact and provided a powerful conduit for further Melrose progress as they drove the ball into the GHA half. The home side managed to blunt this initiative and there was an exchange of speculative kicks from both sides as play moved between the ten metre areas.

As we passed the tenth minute mark there were signs of nervousness from both sides as passes were rushed and balls knocked forward . There was some lovely close collaboration between Messrs Baird, Thomson and Lonergan following a scrum at halfway. Defensive tackles brought the move to an end but Michael Fox- as he does so often- gathered the ball and drove into the heart of the Melrose defence in the Melrose half. Melrose conceded a penalty, and Gregor Drummond converted the award to make the score after about thirteen minutes GHA 3 MELROSE 0.

This was a little reward for the positive work carried out by the home side. However, as we moved past the quarter hour neither side seemed able to establish a lengthy period of dominance and crucially a platform to build a rhythm to their endeavours. Indeed, both sides began to indulge in a variety of kicks to try and gain territorial advantage. This ploy was negated by the excellent positioning of the respective rearguards who seemed to read the intentions of the opposition kicker with ease. As a result, neither side were able to establish a positive pattern to their play which allowed some frustration and niggle to creep into the match.

As we passed the twentieth minute Melrose began to put together some forceful intrusions into the home half which required powerful tackling to blunt. The home side were very quick to run any ball which was kicked at them and Caleb Thomson caused the visitors problems with his accurate reception of kicks and piercing breaks down his wing. In one such break the home side were awarded a penalty and once again Gregor Drummond kicked the goal to give the home side a further lead. The score after twenty-seven minutes was GHA 6 MELROSE 0.

As we reached the half hour mark a noticeable increase in the pace of the Melrose forward engagement in the loose drove the home side on to the back foot in their own half. The visitors were awarded a penalty and the clever Roly Brett kicked towards the corner. From the lineout the Melrose side drove hard into the GHA five metre area and from a lovely inside pass from Roly Brett, Jack Dobie burst though the GHA defence to score to great acclaim from the visiting support. The try was converted and as we moved toward the interval the score was now GHA 6 MELROSE 7.

Play moved from half to half with neither side able to gain sustained ascendency and there were moments of untidy forced play which broke the momentum of both sides. Certainly, there was clearly frustration amongst the players as both sides struggled to gain control. The number of resets for scrummaging did little to bring a settled approach to the match and again, as we reached the interval, play became untidy and lacking in direction. The rain was constant now and made handling more difficult. The greasy conditions affected both lineouts and led to overthrows and balls knocked forward. This was to hinder progress in the second half for both sides. Half-time was reached after what had been an attritional and difficult first half for both sides, both struggling to establish their rhythm. The score at half time was GHA 6 MELROSE 7.

Our Primary 4 members from the Junior section provided a nice rugby cameo at the interval showing some good handling and movement in the conditions.

The second half began with a clearly determined Melrose side kicking off and taking the game into the GHA half. The visitors seemed to want to attain a greater continuity of possession and stronger linkage between forwards and backs. As a result, there were a number of forward forays into the GHA half, forcing the home side back before the Melrose backs moved the ball with intent. This forced the home side on to the defensive side and concentrated play in the GHA half. The visitors began to establish some dominance in the match and only highly effective defensive tackling from forwards and backs prevented further progress from the Melrose side.

The recurring snag of scrum resets and untidy and incomplete line outs was- as we moved towards the twentieth minute of the half- breaking momentum. Melrose mounted a determined assault into the GHA half and made inroads deep into GHA territory. Huge tackles by the home side forced Melrose to rebuild, and in their desperation to defend, the home side conceded a penalty inside their twenty-two metre area. The visitors converted the kick and the score as we entered the last quarter of the match was GHA 6 MELROSE 10.

As the score suggests this was a very tight affair. Despite Melrose gradually gaining the upper hand, there was a growing defiance about the home side and accurate handling and secured lineout ball which made the outcome of this match too hard to call. From the restart Jonathan Davis put in a huge tackle to knock back the Melrose player breaking into the GHA half. Further vital tackles from Messrs McCutcheon, Drummond, Kerr and Ewing blunted the efforts of the visitors and seemed to reinforce the belief amongst the home side that this match was far from lost. There followed an intense four minute period as Melrose regained the initiative and were camped inside the GHA twenty-two metre area. The visitors- as we passed the twentieth fifth minute of the half- tried a whole panoply of moves, feints and ploys to get through a determined home defence.

As we entered the last ten minutes of the match the home side seemed to find an inner strength and began to ask questions of the Melrose defence. Adam Kerr secured quality lineout ball, scrums were keenly contested, and the home side suddenly began to move the ball with speed and accuracy to the clear consternation of the visitors. There was now a rhythmic and concerted approach to the task in hand from the home side and as we moved towards the final whistle, the home support rallied behind their team.

Now Melrose found themselves defending deep in their own half as the home side sought to find a way through the Melrose defence. GHA were awarded a penalty just outside the five metre area but a drive to the line was stopped by some superb defensive Melrose work. It seemed that Melrose would be able to hold on to their lead as a GHA lineout ball at the Melrose five metre line went awry. However, seconds later the visitors conceded a further penalty at the five metre line and this time the GHA forwards protected the ball into contact as the desperate Melrose defence buckled. Dario Ewing managed to get over the line to score as we were nearly on full time as the home crowd went wild with delight. Gregor Drummond, he of hammer fame, smashed the conversion over as the referee blew for full time. The final score was GHA 13 MELROSE 10.

This was an astonishing ending to a match. The contrast between the shattered and stunned Melrose cohort and the GHA players smiles and hugs provided a poignant backdrop to this match.

Melrose will feel they had done more than enough to win this match. GHA found tremendous energy and determination in the last ten minutes of this match to come away with a victory. It is very clear that this GHA squad have huge self-belief, skill and togetherness which makes them very difficult opponents. Coach Calum was delighted for the squad and his coaching team and felt the victory reinforced the belief that GHA cannot be taken lightly in any match at this level.

MELROSE: D.CRAWFORD F.DOUGLAS C.GOLDSBROUGH D.MULCHAY S.KIRK R.BRETT D.CRAWFORD J.DOBIE B.McLEAN Z.SZWGRZAK A.WEIR A.RUNCIMAN O.FURNESS E.RUTHVEN R.CAMPBELL M.BETRAM W.FERRIE L.KIRK OlANDERSON R.FROSTWICK S.CLARK Z.MACTAGGART

GHA: G.DRUMMOND C.THOMSON  C.LONERGAN M.HUGHES G.LITTLE A.GOUDIE G.BAIRD S.COLLINS R CAMPBELL M.FOX A.KERR S.CALLAGHAN R.AIRLIE D.EWING L.McCUTCHEON L.BARRON L.HODGE  C.MacGREGOR O.LONERGAN-BLACK J.DAVIS E.McKIRDY A.BOGIDRAU

REFEREE : MR R CAMPBELL

ASSISTANT REFEREES : MR T FRENCH MR A WATT

Thanks to Ian Robin for provision of details of Officials. Photography (C) Robinson Photo