ARNOLD CLARK PREMIERSHIP
SATURDAY 29th AUGUST 2026
GHA 31 MELROSE 34
By CHRIS NAIRN
Premiership rugby returned to Braidholm after a long and generally pleasant summer which gave everyone an opportunity to recharge the batteries and to prepare for what will undoubtedly be a difficult season ahead. GHA have altered the coaching team to invite Calum Forrester to take over the duties of Director of Rugby and to invite Jamie McCarthy to lead the coaching team. GHA is blessed to have such talented coaches at the helm of our club. Saturday was a very busy day with the hugely anticipated Beer Festival (now a cardinal date in the South Side social calendar) taking place and the small matter of a League opening match against Melrose! It is testament to the organisational skills and total dedication of the volunteers of our club that both events were organised with maximum efficiency.
The recent matches between these two sides have been really exciting with a great deal of good attacking rugby played in a smashing atmosphere of respect and commitment. This Saturday was to prove no different. A sunny day greeted all arriving at Braidholm with little wind. It was quite humid and would test the early season fitness of the players. The pitch was obviously very dry after our recent lovely weather and would assist running rugby. Both sides went through a variety of drills both in units, core and whole team plays. To add to the general festive atmosphere sweeping Braidholm our valued friends Williamwood Pipe Band provided a musical entrance for the players. The Primary 4 cohort (immaculately attired as always in their club strips) provided a guard of honour for the players. By kick off a large crowd had assembled in the stands and around the environs of the pitch.
GHA kicked off sending a long searching kick into the defensive ranks of the Borderers. The ball was gathered and returned to inside the GHA twenty two metre area. The visitors secured the lineout and Messrs Crawford and Townsend at half-back worked the ball deep into the GHA twenty two metre area. From a penalty award to the visitors a short kick to the corner allowed Melrose to gather the ball and drive over to score. The conversion was successful and after two minutes the score was GHA 0 MELROSE 7. This was an immediate blow to the home side.
From the restart the Borderers cleared the speculative kick and took play up to half way. The excellent fielding by the Melrose defence, especially the punishing returns of Callum Anderson, were to blunt GHA initiatives throughout the match. However, the home side garnered themselves to the task in hand and worked the ball through hands with lovely work by Messrs Callaghan and Ewing to create a narrow opening in the corner and allow Oli Nash to go over to score after four minutes. The conversion just failed and the score was now: GHA 5 MELROSE 7. This was a superb riposte from the home side and suggested that this match would continue in the long line of end to end matches between the clubs.
Both sides, for several minutes, attempted to wrestle control of the match with drives, feints, short kicks and ball running through hands. As we passed the tenth minute mark the match was evenly balanced and the home side began to build some pressure in the Melrose half. A major attacking tool of the home side, the lineout failed to fire with its usual efficiency and all afternoon promising positions for GHA were blunted by the loss of the ball at lineout. Despite losing the lineout GHA collected an attempted kick though by Melrose inside their half which allowed Andrew Goudie to kick a delicate accurate lofted ball towards the corner finding the ever-alert Oli Nash to gather and crash over and score. An excellent conversion by Ben MacDougall enhanced the home advantage and the score after twelve minutes was: GHA 12 MELROSE 7.
The home side had recovered from their early set back. It was noticeable that Melrose were playing with a calm assurance and were very efficient in executing the basics which asked questions of the GHA side. We now entered a period of real end to end rugby with both sides attempting to move the ball through hands. Some smashing play by Michael Hughes, Charlie Lonergan and Struan White required excellent defensive tackling by Melrose to stop progress. Melrose themselves looked to move the angle and direction of attack and began to dominate the scrum area which put pressure on the home side and forced them on to the back foot. A penalty was awarded to the visitors who kicked to the corner from inside the GHA half. Once again, they gathered the lineout ball and drove with the posts in sight. The Melrose side worked a lovely feint move which allowed Craig Fairbairn to go through and score- to great acclaim from the visiting support. The try was converted and the score was now, after twenty minutes: GHA 12 MELROSE 14.
The home side conceded a further score when from an attacking position, Finn Douglas intercepted a pass and exploded towards the line to score. The try was converted and the score after twenty four minutes was now: GHA 12 MELROSE 21.
The visitors sensed that they were beginning to control the match and the home side conceded a further penalty inside their half. Callum Anderson elected to kick for goal and put in a superb kick which sailed over to make the score after twenty six minutes: GHA 12 MELROSE 24. An impressive confidence surrounded all that Melrose did whether it be defensive tackling, loose play or mainline breaks. The visitors seemed sharp, efficient and determined to gain the upper hand. The home side seemed to be having difficulty matching the endeavour of the unit that was Melrose and the visitors began to take control of the match. Despite this, GHA tried to move the ball through hands but found the Borderers were very effective in knocking down the man with the ball and stopping penetration where it could cause damage. They also began to win a lot of vital loose ball allowing them to turn defence into attack- especially around the halfway area. Indeed, a huge break by Callum Anderson from entering the back line allowed him to cut through the startled GHA defence and set up a combination of Messrs Pickles and Dobie to feed Gavin Wood- who went over to score. The conversion failed. The score was now as we reached half time: GHA 12 MELROSE 29.
It had been a sobering first half for the home side. GHA were for some reason not playing with their usual efficient aggressive and talented attitude. Melrose seemed at this stage to be far more attuned to what was required on the day and provided an effective and successful approach to the match. The home side would need to really search to find their true selves in the second half if they were to have any chance of turning this match around. The Primary 4 cohort provided a lovely cameo of skills at the interval full of sportsmanship, honest endeavour and no little skill.
The home side re-emerged for the second half and there was an immediate different look about GHA. Faces reflected a renewed determination; there was a confidence in their stride patterns and a good deal of animated support to each other. Clearly GHA were not going to give this match up without a real effort. Melrose had dominated the first half with neatly executed, effective rugby and returned to the field of play aware that GHA would attempt to mount a change of fortunes.
From the restart the GHA players set about their tasks with renewed vigour- making tackles count, competing and winning ball in the loose and moving the ball through hands with purpose and direction. The home crowd instantly warmed to the efforts of the home side. By sheer pressure of will Melrose were forced back deep into their own half as GHA secured good quality ball and moved it at pace through a back line which looked hungry and menacing. A lovely move resulted in Euan McKirdy scoring to loud acclaim and the conversion of the try after eight minutes of the half made the score: GHA 19 MELROSE 29. The whole nature of the match had changed with the home side now playing with accuracy, togetherness and determination; forcing a very well drilled Melrose on to defensive duties inside their half.
An impressive feature of this talented Melrose side was their refusal to panic or exhibit any looseness in their play. This made it harder for the home side to break down Melrose and exploit possible gaps. It certainly made for a very exciting match. As we moved passed the twelfth minute of the half the home side continued to look for ways to break down the Melrose defence, winning ball in the loose and set piece and there was some sterling work by Messrs Ewing, Kerr, Davis and Lonergan -Black. Andrew Goudie was carefully marshalling the home side into favourable attacking positions as he was now receiving good quality ball. In an excellent passing phase Messrs Goudie and White worked their magic to cut a way through the defiant visitor rearguard to allow Charlie Lonergan to score. The home crowd rose to their feet to recognise the tremendous efforts their heroes had produced in this half to reduce the leeway. The conversion narrowly failed and the score was now, after twenty two minutes of the half: GHA 24 MELROSE 29.
The visitors, despite this setback, refused to lose their composure and although under pressure, stuck to their playing style. As we reached the twenty seventh minute of the half the home side won a penalty in their territory and took play up to halfway. GHA won the crucial lineout ball and moved the ball with stunning accuracy and speed through hands to allow Jonathan Davis to go over and score- to huge celebrations amongst the Braidholm faithful. The try was converted by Ben McDougall and suddenly- as we approached the last ten minutes- the score was now: GHA 31 MELROSE 29.
From the restart the Melrose side engaged the home side and won back the ball and after several attempts to break clear, their Ruairi Campbell burst through several desperate tackles and from outside the GHA twenty two metre area went over to score to massive celebrations from the Borderers. The try was not converted and the score as we moved into the final ten minutes was now: GHA 31 MELROSE 34.
For the remaining minutes of a pulsating half GHA tried everything they know to get over the line. With minutes to go they were camped inside the Melrose twenty two metre area, recycling ball after ball as the visitors- under huge pressure- held firm. Time ran out for the home side and the final score was: GHA 31 MELROSE 34.
Clearly the home side will rue their slow and indifferent start to this match. The failure to execute the basics really cost them. However, their performance in the second half was inspiring, as the same players gave their all to reverse the score. This was the real GHA which finished the match and they will know they must start in the same manner that they finished. Melrose were highly competent and very effective. They move the ball with confidence and skill and will ask questions of other sides in the league.
MELROSE : C.ANDERSON S.ROBBIE B.PICKLES G.WOOD F.DOUGLAS L.TOWNSEND D.CRAWFORD J.DPBIE L.KIRK Z.SZWAGRZAK S.DERRICK A.RUNCIMAN C.FAIRBAIRN P.ANDERSON R.CAMPBELL R.ROBINSON R.BRETT C.BACURZEWSKI D.BOWE C.OLESEN S.CLARK J.DOUGLAS
GHA : B.MacDOUGALL S.WHITE C.LONERGAN M.HUGHES O.NASH A.GOUDIE E.McKIRDY C.MILER R.CAMPBELL C.NORRIE A.KERR S.CALLAGHAN J.DAVIS D.EWING O.LONERGAN-BLACK E.McGOVERN Z.BURGESS M.FOX S.FINLAYSON M. MARINKOVIC B.CURTIS J.GOWDY
REFEREE ; MR C STARK
ASSISTANT REFEREES: MR D YOUNG MR A WATT
MATCH DAY M.C.: DAVE BARNETT
MATCH REPORT IT FACILITATOR : KATE FINLAY
MATCH OFFICIAL INFO : MR IAN ROBIN
