Kelso Ladies 3s1

Fjordhus Reivers 3s3

Kelso Ladies lost their first game of the season when they came up against a strong Reivers’ side at Earlston High School on Saturday.

Kelso got off to a flying start and scored first after only three minutes of play when Megan Brennan bundled the ball over the line following a short corner.

Thereafter, the game was fairly tight, although Reivers’ were always threatening going forward and it was no surprise when they equalised just after the half-hour.

Chloe Richardson crossed the ball at pace and it was slotted into goal by Leona Porteous.

Reivers’ scored a decisive second strike just before half-time when Caitlin Wright’s hard work was rewarded with a goal from a superb cross by Lara Patterson to take a 2-1 interval lead.

The second half was equally tight, but ultimately the Reivers’ greater experience was the difference between the sides and they followed up with a third goal with 10 minutes remaining. Richardson dribbled the ball at an impressive pace through a static defence and finished with a powerful shot from the top of the D.

The younger Kelso Ladies side put up a gutsy performance and they were many positive aspects from the game which will stand them in good stead for the rest of the season.

Fjordhus Reivers 3s close this half of the season with games against Ross High on Saturday and Livingston & West Lothian Ladies 2s on Sunday.

Fjordhus Reivers Raiders finished their campaign in the U14 East C league on a high after being beaten 2-0 by Grange Panthers in their first match last weekend.

Despite having 80 per cent of possession, the Raiders were unable to get a shot on target. The second game of the morning, against Watsonians B2, was a different story altogether.

The Raiders were asked to build on their passing play by showing confidence in front of the opposition goal, and they did not disappoint. Martin Goldie and Ellen Keefe made numerous attacking runs and on one such occasion found Sam Prentice at the back post to bag a well-deserved goal and 1-0 victory.

On Sunday, Fjordhus Reivers U16 development and performance squads travelled to Tipperlinn, Edinburgh, to face Watsonians U16 B and A teams respectively.

Development were up first and this was an introduction to many of the squad into playing tactical hockey, focusing on positional shape both in attack and defence.

The girls played with great endeavour and determination which resulted in a 1-1 draw with notable performances from Alex Bell, Julia Corcoran, Zoe Pflug and Leona Porteous.

The performance squad played in the dying sunlight and from the first pass to the final whistle the game was played at an incredible intensity, finishing 4-2 to Watsonians.

Tara Aitchison and Caitlin Wright each scored a fantastic goal either side of half-time.

The afternoon highlighted the array of talent the youth section of Fjordhus Reivers has, and the sideline support of the players, umpires and opposition from parents and friends was exceptional.

Fjordhus Reivers U14 boys and girls travel to Tipperlinn this Sunday to experience their first taste of 11 a-side full-pitch hockey.

Borders hockey star Sarah Robertson is shooting for the stars after being selected to join the Team GB training squad ahead of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The 21-year-old from Selkirk has spent the last four weeks in Belgium playing for KHC Leuven, and on her return on Monday found out that she would be part of GB coach Danny Kerry’s 30-strong squad.

Sarah, who starred for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in July, told TheSouthern: “I’m really pleased, I have been training really hard since Glasgow and it’s a great relief to find out I’m in the squad. Now the hard work really begins!”

Currently on a year out of her law course at Edinburgh University due to her Commonwealth Games commitments, Sarah will resume her studies online in London, where she has already set up home with fellow squad members.

“Edinburgh University has allowed me to continue my course online so I can do my third year down here,” she explained.

“I’m going to really have to discipline myself, but hopefully it will all be worth it.

“Playing in Glasgow in front of a home crowd this summer was a great experience and going to the Olympics would be a dream come true.”

Sarah will continue to train with the GB squad right up to the 2016 Olympics, but will be released to train and compete for Scotland ahead of major events such as the European Championships next year. The GB squad will be narrowed down to just 16 players prior to the Games.

Sarah has also been included among a group of more than 150 top Scottish athletes who have been selected for a prestigious scholarship.

The Winning Students sports scholarships, managed by the University of Stirling, provide gifted young athletes studying in colleges and universities across Scotland with funding support and the flexibility to achieve their sporting and study goals. This funding, along with National Lottery funding for Team GB, will enable Sarah, a former Ettrick & Lauderdale Sports Council and Selkirk Weekend Advertiser award winner, to balance her education with her high-performance commitments at senior level.

Fjordhus Reivers0

Erskine Stew Mel2

A physical Edinburgh ladies side were hungry for victory after a previous 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Borders National League outfit.

Fjordhus started the game well, but despite dominating the first half the home side were unfortunate not to find the net. Once again the team was unable to get on the end of several exceptional penetrating passes coming from Kirsty Millar on the left.

Continuing top-class attacking play and an impenetrable defensive line saw Fjordhus making life incredibly difficult for ESM, but a very fast opponent managed to slip through while all other players were marked and sent an impossible-to-save rocket shot past the Fjordhus keeper.

Moving to the second half the Reivers ladies created opportunity after opportunity, one of which came from Laura Mclean who beat several players before slipping it to another home side forward who just missed the target by inches.

Another break from the quickest of the ESM players saw a scramble at the Reiver’s goalmouth and, with a number of opposition feet going unnoticed by the referee, a second goal hit the back board.

This spurred the Reivers ladies on even more and the homesters created wave after wave of attack, but again weren’t able to slot one home.

The home side showed great endeavour to the final whistle and were a little disappointed with the result, considering the performance. The ladies will now take that promising play into their final game of 2014 this weekend against Grange Ladies.

Kelso Ladies 2nds6

Civil Services Ladies0

Kelso took a while to get into their game on Saturday, but following strong play from the centre of the pitch their hard work was rewarded.

A lovely strike to the back of the net from Rhona Fleming took them into the break a goal up.

The Tweedsiders looked far stronger in the second half, with Jennie Robson providing an outstanding hat-trick. Robson was also involved in the fifth goal with a great solo run down the wing and a well-weighted cross for Kirsty Logan to slot home.

Kelso captain Sophie Aitchison rounded off the scoring with a superb flick.

At the half-way point in the season, Kelso are top of Division Two of the East District League with seven wins and two defeats, and can look forward with much confidence when the league restarts in the New Year.

Selkirk1

Stirling Uni2

Selkirk managed to get their second round South Challenge Cup tie played at the third time of asking on Saturday and were duly dumped out of the competition.

A waterlogged pitch had caused the match to be postponed twice already, but, despite heavy rain on Friday, everything was good to go last week, thanks to some hard work by the backroom staff.

Chris Geddes scored twice for the visitors, either side of a Gary O’Connor goal, to send Stirling through to the next round.

Vale of Leithen2

Dalbeattie Star0

Despite a lot of rain during the week, this Lowland League clash at Victoria Park went ahead, but on a surface that was far from ideal.

The visitors started the game well and had a decent shout for a penalty turned down early on as Graham Bell was sent tumbling in the area.

Dalbeattie found Vale keeper Mark Wilson in good form and couldn’t capitalise on their early superiority.

The visitors paid the price in the 25th minute, when Ryan Sclater turned Park on the edge of the area and sent a shot beyond Star keeper Darren Martin to open the scoring.

Twelve minutes from time Vale scored another to make sure of the points. A Jordyn Gill free kick was knocked on by Kenny O’Brien and Ainslie Hunter notched his first goal for the club.

Dalbeattie almost grabbed a late consolation as Bell sent a header just over, but the Vale backline held firm to record their first clean sheet of the season.

Vale of Leithen and Gala Fairydean Rovers are set to meet in the second round of the Image Printers Cup at Victoria Park on Saturday, writes John Slorance.

This will be the third meeting of the Borders rivals this season.

Fairydean Rovers came out on top in the first two encounters, beating Vale in a Lowland League game as well as in a Scottish Cup tie.

Gala manager Steven Noble is well aware that these results are nothing but history, however.

He told The Southern: “We have beaten Vale 4-1 and 1-0 away from home, but that means nothing and I am expecting it to be a very close game on Saturday.

“They have came on a lot since we last played them. Their manager Mark Lamb has done a great job in steadying his ship and has a good, organised side.”

Selkirk are also involved in Image Printers Cup action facing Whitehill Welfare at Ferguson Park.

Narrowly beaten by league leaders Peebles Rovers last weekend, bottom-of-the-table Kelso United travel to face fellow strugglers Eyemouth United in an East of Scotland basement battle.

United team boss Scott Dowie said: “I missed our game against Peebles Rovers, but I am led to believe that we played them off the park and were very unlucky not to get something out of the game.

“A performance like this will have given our boys confidence as they showed they could play a bit.

“We need to start converting our chances, though, and when we start doing that we could do some damage”.

Hawick Royal Albert are minus suspended captain Michael McKenzie for their home tussle with Peebles Rovers, but Gordon Ramsay returns from a ban.

Kelso United1

Peebles Rovers2

Peebles must have been in confident mood coming to Kelso, having taken 15 goals off the hosts in their last two meetings.

However, this was an evenly-matched, hard-fought encounter, with the visitors just taking the spoils.

United started the match well and were rewarded after 10 minutes when Damien McNulty picked up the ball in midfield and threaded a pass to Chris Falconer on the right wing.

The Berwick man swung a cross into the box and Peebles central defender James Young stuck a leg out to divert the ball into the net past his own keeper Darren Walker.

The home side could have made it two nine minutes later as a corner on the right was headed out by the Peebles defence, only as far as the feet of United’s Darren Bowie – only a great save by Walker, diving to his left, prevented the goal.

Peebles were starting to come back into the game and a shot from 25 yards by Daniel McAleavey whistled past the post and minutes later the same man supplied a cross which Paul Murray headed wide.

Ryan Beveridge, in the United midfield, tried his luck with a 30-yard right-footed shot which went inches over the crossbar.

Rovers equalised in the 38th minute as McAleavey again swung a dangerous cross into the box over the home defence and this time Jamie Doyle cushioned a right-foot shot past Elliott Turnbull in the Kelso goal from six yards.

The game ebbed and flowed, and the home team were reduced to 10 men in the 78th minute when United’s Liam O’Rourke was sent off after receiving his second yellow card from Edinburgh referee Michael Addy.

This did not seem to deter United, who created a golden chance two minutes later when Shane Bonnington beat two defenders before crossing on the left to find Beveridge unmarked on the six-yard line. However, instead of hitting the ball first time, the midfielder dallied and was thwarted by the Peebles defence.

The game was still on a knife-edge, but the visitors supplied the killer punch eight minutes from time as Daniel Ndiwini received the ball on the left edge of the box.

The winger managed to escape a couple of challenges before planting the ball in the bottom corner of the net past the diving Turnbull, earning his team another three points to keep them at the top of the East of Scotland Division One table.

Gala FR1

East Kilbride1

Despite missing injured first-choice keeper John Dodds, Gala managed to take a share of the spoils from Saturday’s home game.

Andy Common broke the deadlock on 18 minutes from close range after a great ball in from Ross Aitchison,

EK looked dangerous and Steven King, in place of the recovering Dodds, produced a couple of fine saves. The visitors enjoyed more possession in the second half and drew level from a corner kick after an hour.

Proposals to devolve greater powers to the Scottish Parliament have been described as an unprecedented achievement by the Borderer who oversaw their creation.

Lord Smith of Kelvin, who lives at Eshiels near Peebles, pictured, was contacted by Prime Minister David Cameron days before the September 18 Independence referendum.

Lord Smith revealed this week: “Mr Cameron asked if, in the event of a no vote, I would be prepared to take on the role of chairing a commission into more devolved powers for Holyrood.

“I said I would, but only on condition that my name would not be mentioned if the vote was yes.”

With 55 per cent of Scots voting to stay within the UK, the 70-year-old former chairman of the engineering Weir Group duly began his task of assembling consensus and coming up with recommendations which would satisfy the famous ‘vow’ given by the three main pro-Union parties on the eve of the referendum.

He was charged to do so by November 30, but in the event, the Smith Commission published its report three days ahead of schedule. Under Smith’s recommendations, the Scottish Parliament will be given the power to set income tax rates and bands on earned income and will retain all income tax raised in Scotland. It will have powers to create new benefits in areas already devolved and make discretionary payments in any area of welfare.

A share of Value Added Tax will be assigned to Holyrood and Air Passenger Duty will be fully devolved.

Constitutionally, the parliament will be made permanent via UK legislation and given powers over how it is elected, including allowing, if it desires, votes for 16 and 17-year-olds.

Unsurprisingly, the package of proposals has been greeted with a mixed response from local politicians.

Christine Grahame, the SNP MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, said the recommendations fell far short of what had been promised in the run up to September 18.

But Lib Dem MP Michael Moore (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) hailed the new powers as a big deal for the Borders and Tweeddale’s Conservative MP David Mundell said the proposals were durable, radical and practical.

Lord Smith commented: “Taken together, these new powers will deliver a stronger, more accountable and a more autonomous parliament.

“The recommendations, agreed between the parties, will result in the biggest transfer of powers to the parliament since its establishment.

“This agreement is, in itself, an unprecedented achievement. It demanded compromise from all of the parties.

“In some cases that meant moving to devolve greater powers than they had previously committed to, while for others it meant accepting the outcome would fall short of their ultimate ambitions.

“It shows that, however difficult, our political leaders can come together, work together, and reach agreement with one another. I pay tribute to them for doing just that.”

Seventy firefighters were called to a large blaze near Hawick on Tuesday evening, with rescue services still at the scene yesterday afternoon (Wednesday) as The Southern went to press.

Operations control in Edinburgh received a call at 8.39pm on Tuesday, reporting a large fire in a stable block at Spital Tower Stables. At its height there were 70 firefighters on the scene, with appliances attending from Hawick, Selkirk, Jedburgh, Galashiels, Kelso and Edinburgh.

When crews arrived they were faced with a rapidly-developing outbreak, along with a number of freed horses. Crews immediately got to work to extinguish the blaze.

Firefighters initially ensured that all the occupants of the building and livestock were safe, while continuing to fight the fire externally in three sectors, working hard to prevent further spread to the attached farmhouse.

Firemen worked in difficult conditions throughout the night to bring the blaze under control and the incident was scaled down around 1am.

A crew remained on scene yesterday to monitor the fireground and carry out damping-down operations.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

A fatal accident inquiry has been told that Borders farmer Jim Sharp was killed after being dragged into a grain auger by his shoe lace.

The 66-year-old sheep breeder died on his farm at Newbigging Walls near Lauder on March 17.

The inquiry at Selkirk Sheriff Court was told he died of multiple injuries after entering a silo containing several feet of barley.

Mr Sharp was a prominent breeder of Blackface sheep and a former livestock convener of NFU Scotland.

He was also a former captain of Melrose Rugby Club.

In a statement read to the hearing, Sergeant Graeme Shearer – a disaster victim identification officer with Police Scotland – said he’d been called to the farm to recover the body from the silo and that there were no suspicious circumstances.

He explained how he located and cut the metal auger blade and unwound damaged clothing from the screw.

And the sergeant concluded that a boot lace was the first thing that had become entangled with the rotating blade.

Hazel Dobb, an inspector with the Health and Safety Executive, said the electricity supply should have been isolated before the silo was entered to remove the power from the auger.

She said Mr Sharp was self-employed with no employees and no enforcement action was required.

Procurator fiscal Louise Graham, in her summing up, told Sheriff Peter Paterson: “The cause of the accident is that Mr Sharp appears to have entered the grain silo, but there is no evidence as to why that is the case.

“There may well have been a problem with the sweep auger on that date. When in the grain silo, his boot lace became entangled with the sweep auger.”

She said it was not known how the lace came into contact with the auger.

Delivering his determination, Sheriff Peter Paterson said the cause of death was multiple injuries after Mr Sharp’s body became entangled with the auger. He made no recommendations.

Sheriff Paterson extended his sympathies to Mr Sharp’s wife Obie and two children who were in court for the 15 minute hearing.

A drunken man who assaulted another person after he bumped into him in a Hawick nightclub has been ordered to pay his victim £4,000 compensation.

Twenty-one-year-old Scott Grant, of Queen’s Drive, Hawick, admitted butting the man on the head to his injury at Base on August 17. The offence happened around 2am.

Prosecutor Tessa Bradley told a previous hearing how the victim and the accused were close to each other on the dance floor when the man accidentally bumped into Grant.

“He butted him, causing two teeth to break,” said Ms Bradley.

The victim, who was bleeding heavily from his mouth, was “somewhat unjustly” put out of the nightclub, continued Ms Bradley.

Grant told police he had “stuck the head in”.

The man sustained two broken front teeth and was quoted £4,000 for private medical treatment which would take two years to complete.

Rory Bannerman, defending, said his client had been drinking and the man bumped into him twice on the dance floor.

“He turned round and butted him, which he sees as a ridiculous thing to do, in the sober light of day. He accepts that his conduct was disgraceful and that alcohol is no excuse,” he added.

Grant was also sentenced to a 12-month community payback order with 135 hours of unpaid work and alcohol counselling.

Sheriff Kevin Drummond warned Grant: “I am giving you one final opportunity to do something about your violent behaviour. Any breach and you know the consequences.”

REPORTS ON HUNGRY THIEF

A thief stole from a supermarket, claiming he was hungry.

Barry Hayward, 32, of Howdenbank, Hawick, pleaded guilty to stealing food, light bulbs and a razor from Sainsbury’s in the town’s Commercial Road on March 8. The stolen items, worth £26.89, were recovered.

Iain Burke, defending, said: “He said that he was hungry and had no food in the house. He took these things in a moment of madness.”

Hayward also admitted stealing two bottles of whisky from B & M Bargains, Croft Road, Hawick, on July 31.

Sentence was further deferred until January 9 for reports.

“A point has come where, if you fail to keep your appointment, I will remand you in custody for the preparation of the report,” warned Sheriff Kevin Drummond.

HOUSEBREAKING BID CHARGE

A Hawick man appeared in private, charged on petition with attempted housebreaking in the town.

Scott Fairley, 45, of Earl Street, made no plea or declaration and was released on bail.

He is alleged to have attempted to break into a house with intent to steal in November.

SENTENCE DEFERRED

A woman who assaulted her ex-husband’s new partner had sentence deferred until January 9 for reports.

Debbie McCracken, 31, of Grieve Avenue, Jedburgh, admitted repeatedly punching the woman on the head and body and pulling her hair, to her injury, at a house at Bleachfield Road, Selkirk, on June 6.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said the victim was the accused’s former husband’s partner.

He added: “They had split up and both had started different relationships.”

Mr Fraser said McCracken had been “argumentative” with the woman and eventually “lost the place”.

He went on: “She got hold of her hair and began repeatedly punching her to her head and face.”

He said the woman tried to defend herself and ripped the accused’s top in the course of the assault. “After being pulled away, she attacked her again,” he continued.

The woman suffered swelling, cuts and bruising, and was distressed.

“Her face was X-rayed, but there were no fractures,” Mr Fraser added.

Defence solicitor Lisa McNeill said there had been “ongoing issues” between the accused and her ex-husband’s partner, and her client “snapped”.

“She says she was provoked, but overreacted,” Ms McNeill told Sheriff Kevin Drummond.

Bumper crowds turned out to watch Hawick Community Council’s annual Christmas parade along the High Street on Saturday.

Teries, both young and old, entered into the festive spirit and organiser Marion Short said it is the best she has ever seen.

Speaking this week, the Community Council chair commented: “I would like to thank all those who participated in the Christmas Parade last Saturday and also those who turned out to watch the parade.

“This parade is only successful due to the number of folks who do participate and thereby create a general feeling of goodwill and excitement in the run-up to Christmas.”

The standard of this year’s float entries was very high and were judged by the High School’s head boy and girl, with best float award going to Sam Deans’ Fitness Studio and Wilton Primary School winning the best children’s award.

The most humorous category was won by Hawick Operatic Society, while the Ex-servicemen and Royal British Legion won the best walking group prize.

Mrs Short added: “Everyone seemed to enjoy the event, whether participating or spectating.

“Special thanks must be made to Alan Smith and Ronnie Nichol for assisting with the erection and dismantling of the street-side lights and Burnett Smith for towing the sleigh.

“Evelyn and Gilbert Sangster for judging the window competition, and Davie Hall and his team at SBC for dealing with the sleigh lights.

“And finally, to the members of my council, councillors Stuart Marshall and Alastair Cranston, several senior pupils from Hawick High School, the Fire Brigade and others from the various clubs who acted as stewards and carried collection buckets, and, of course, to Santa himself.”

The raffle will be drawn next week with prizes donated by SSE, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Huttons and Borders Glass.

Fears about levels of police cover in the Borders have been raised this week after a former officer from Galashiels failed to uncover details of local deployment.

Harry Scott, who retired in 1999 after 30 years’ service, used Freedom of Information legislation in a bid to get answers from Police Scotland, the centralised single force formed in April last year.

At the end of March, Mr Scott formally enquired about the number and rank of officers employed in the region – the former G division of Lothian and Borders Police – in 14 shifts over a specified seven-week period.

He wanted to know the number of uniformed response officers based at local stations, along with community beat and road police officers who were working in the area over that period.

But in May, Police Scotland claimed this information was exempt under the legislation and could not be revealed because disclosure “would or would be likely to prejudice substantially the prevention and detection of crime and the apprehension and prosecution of offenders”.

Believing there was public interest in disclosure and not accepting that historical information could cause substantial prejudice, Mr Scott persisted and asked Police Scotland to review the decision.

In June, he was informed there were “approximately 150” officers stationed in the Borders, but Police Scotland maintained its position of non-disclosure, prompting Mr Scott to take his case to the Scottish Information Commissioner (SIC) Rosemary Agnew, who agreed to investigate.

Now, after a three-month probe, the watchdog has concluded that Police Scotland was justified in withholding the information from Mr Scott.

Former divisional commander Watson McAteer, now an Independent member of Scottish Borders Council, said he was “not surprised” at the decision to withhold historical data.

“The levels on duty are likely to be very small and I have heard a number of officers discussing being sent to other divisions in the force at short notice,” said Mr McAteer.

“As much as I understand Police Scotland’s argument in this case, I hope the lack of response does not in itself reveal a worrying story about the actual numbers of officers available and policing in the Borders at any given time.

“There is no doubt the numbers are spread thin and providing support to neighbouring divisions and other parts of Scotland cannot be a sustainable policing model if the Borders is to continue to enjoy its reputation as a safe place to live and work.”

Hawick Legion3

Hawick United3

Prior to the start of this derby clash, Hawick Legion and Hawick United were equal on points at the top of the Border Amateur Division B League table, writes John Slorance.

Ninety minutes, six goals, seven yellow cards and a sending-off later, the position was the same.

United got off to a flying startwith Ross Scott heading home a well-flighted Scott Storrie cross.

In the 18th minute Legion grabbed an equaliser. After jinking in off the left flank, Scott Duncan polished off a fine run to perfection by slotting away a shot.

On a pitch with a heavy surface, both sides were showing plenty of endeavour and with 37 minutes gone, United edged ahead for a second time. Kevin Strathdee beat Legion keeper Ewan Reilly with an unsaveable penalty after Paul Young had fouled Scott with a push in the back in a crowded goal area.

Eleven minutes into the second half, Strathdee put Legion into further arrears with a sweetly-struck drive.

Legion now seemed to have an uphill task, but it was a task they were up to. Reshuffling their formation into an attacking force they duly reduced the leeway in the 71st minute. Latching onto a well delivered pass from substitute Darrel Johnstone, Duncan hammered a shot out of the reach of Fry. Spurred on by this, Legion got on level terms minutes later through a well-taken Johnstone strike.

Although the game was coming to a close it was certainly all happening and further drama arose with the dismissal of Legion’s Bob Lamb for a second bookable offence. In a ding-dong finish, Young denied United what would have been a dramatic winner with a headed clearance from a Kevin Strathdee free kick.

Hawick Waverley1

Chirnside United2

Managerless Waverley tumbled to defeat in a Division A encounter after being hit by a last-minute goal.

After a goalless first half United drew first blood when Daniel Pattenden fired the visitors in front, but Waverley drew level when Darren Munro netted after Luke Cooper and Jason Inglis had done the spade work.

Waverley were then unfortunate not to go ahead. On gathering a Luke Cooper pass, Inglis beat Chirnside keeper Martin Todd with a fine shot, only to see his effort cannon off the post.

Connor Lough scored the winner two minutes from time to secure Chirnside’s second victory over the Hawick outfit in as many weeks.

Paul Brownlee resigned from his position as manager of Hawick Waverley FC back in October following a poor run of results. The position has yet to be filled.

Hawick Legion Rovs4

CFC Bowholm2

Rovers were first to do the business when soaring ahead during the opening exchanges of this Border Amateur Division C clash.

Chay Caldwell floated over a corner kick which was headed on by Jory Robertson to Michael Moir who then turned the ball into the net.

Rovers stretched their lead when Caldwell brought a slick passing move to an end by shooting home.

Bowholm in turn pulled a goal back, but Rovers continued to look the likelier side and Sean Clarke stuck away a third to again give the Hawick side some breathing space.

After Bowholm had netted again, Clarke rounded off the scoring with a cross-cum-shot that was pushed into the net by the Bowholm keeper.

Jed Legion2

Ancrum1

It was more than just bragging rights at stake in this local derby last Saturday, with both teams struggling at the foot of the Division A table, the three points on offer were far more important.

The game lacked any real quality, but made up for it in passion and commitment from both sides.

A Daniel Gillie goal midway through the first half for the home side was cancelled out immediately from the spot to make sure honours were even at the break.

It took Jed until 10 minutes before the end to find the winner and again it was Gillie who netted, pouncing on a rebound from a Terry Marshall shot at goal.

Match sponsor – Gibson & Hall Building Contractors.