The councillor responsible for schools in the Borders has refused to give a guarantee that teacher numbers will not fall further in the years ahead.

Sandy Aitchison, executive member for education, told December’s Scottish Borders Council (SBC) meeting that future staffing levels in the region’s 63 primaries and nine secondaries would be influenced by several factors.

“It depends on pupil numbers, demographic trends and the direction of the Scottish Government, which is undergoing changes at the top of education,” said Councillor Aitchison.

The Borders Party member was commenting before figures were released showing that SBC now employs a total of 1,089 teachers – 141 less than it did in 2007.

He had been asked by Conservative councillor Simon Mountford for the current average pupil/teacher ratios (PTRs) in our schools.

Mr Aitchison said the primary PTR in 2014 was 17.2 and was thus within the Scottish Government’s so far unattained national target of 18.

Indeed, only 13 per cent of the nation’s children are now in classes of fewer than 18.

Mr Aitchison revealed that the secondary PTR was 13.4 – just within the Scottish secondary average class size of 13.5.

Mr Mountford observed: “It seems we are getting perilously close to exceeding the Scottish Government target of 18 in primary, so I ask for an assurance that there will be no further reduction in teacher numbers.”

“I’m afraid I cannot give that guarantee,” said Mr Aitchison, “but what I can say is that, compared to other areas of Scotland, I think the Borders is in a very good place. I, for one, will do my utmost to keep primary classes below 18.”

The fall in teacher numbers was highlighted this week by Conservative MSP John Lamont, who blamed the Scottish Government for the trend.

Mr Lamont said: “The plummeting number of teachers in the Borders since 2007 shows just how badly the SNP has taken its eye off the ball.

“Classes are getting bigger as nearly 150 posts have been lost in the Borders in the past few years.

“The concern is that in bigger classes teachers will not be able to dedicate as much time as they would like to their pupils.”

Responding, a council spokesperson conceded that teacher numbers had dropped in the region.

The spokesperson told us: “However, this is reflective of reducing pupil numbers and pupil/teacher ratios in the Borders have consistently been similar to the Scottish average.

Borderers have until the end of January to have their say on how the council can reduce its spending by £20million over the next five years, writes Andrew Keddie.

Cutting the cost of directly-employed staff – under the euphemistic heading of “making the best use of our people” – will account for more than £10million of that saving in draft revenue budget proposals put out to public consultation last week.

SBC has set up an online simulator to get the views of residents on how the savings can best be achieved before a detailed decision on the spending programme for 2015/16 – and indicative plans for the following four years – is agreed in February. And the public’s appetite to influence the local authority appears to be more whetted than last year when a similar feedback exercise attracted just 109 responses over six weeks.

In just six days, 85 responses have so far been posted on the simulator with the consultation due to continue until January 31.

In money terms, the draft budget is set to remain static at around £253million a year for the next five years, on the assumption that both Council Tax and the annual support grant from the Scottish Government will be frozen. But with inflation, an increased demand for council services and demographic pressures from an ageing population, the upshot is an estimated total shortfall of £20.157milion to be plugged by 2019/20.

For example, over that period the council will have to find an extra £6.7million to deliver 600 hours of nursery provision and £1.3million a year to provide free school meals for every P1-3 pupil. Next year alone, an extra £1.37million will be needed to care for more older people and adults with physical and learning disabilities.

Solutions range from the obvious – improving IT to make management and administration more efficient and devoting the savings to frontline services – to the controversial, including the outsourcing of all adult care services to an arms-length organisation to save £2.5million in staff costs over the five years.

The payroll-cutting proposals are also dependent on the local authority continuing to offer voluntary severance and early-retirement deals to eligible employees.

“We are working to ensure we continue to balance the books and protect services in key priority areas,” said Councillor John Mitchell (SNP), SBC’s depute leader with responsibility for finance.

“This has involved working closely with officers across the council for several months to allow us to put forward these proposals.”

Readers wishing to access the online feedback simulator can so at scotborders.budgetsimulator.com.

Ednam House Hotel has appointed Stephanie Finlay in the key role of group marketing manager.

Ms Finlay will be responsible for the marketing of the Guyzance Ltd’s five properties based in Northumberland, the Borders and East Lothian: Dalhousie Castle, Scotland’s oldest inhabited castle, Ednam House in Kelso, and Northumberland’s finest country houses and hotels, Doxford Hall, Eshott Hall and Guyzance Hall.

Ms Finlay is an experienced sales, marketing and events professional with an honours degree in events management from Leeds Metropolitan University.

She has worked exclusively within the hospitality industry, and she joins Guyzance Hall Ltd from Speciality Hotels Group, where she held the position of head of sales and marketing.
Speaking about her new position, Ms Finlay said: “This is both a challenging and diverse role, which I am very excited to start.

“Each of these properties is completely unique, which I know will appeal to a range of markets. My overall aim in the coming year will be to raise the profile of each property, with quality and loyalty being at the 
core of our marketing strategy.”

Hawick-based photographer John Parris has snapped his way to a top prize in a major international photography competition.

The annual Master Photographers Association (MPA) Awards welcomed some of the greatest photography talents in a recent glittering awards ceremony.

John beat off stiff competition from photographers from across the UK and around the world to scoop the prestigious UK Classic Wedding Photographer Of The Year in the 2014 Master Photography Awards.

Hundreds of professional photographers were joined by representatives from the major photography companies and trade, at the awards ceremony which was held at the Hinckley Island Hotel, near Stratford-upon-Avon.

John runs his business along with his wife Sandra, who herself recently won the title of Scottish Contemporary Wedding Photographer of the year.

From winning top awards to travelling around the world shooting weddings and portraits, the couple has come a along way in the 16 years since they started their business.

John, who was honoured last year with the presidency of the MPA, says their success is all down to a lot of hard work, determination and self belief.

He said: “It was fantastic to win, especially given the extremely high standard of entries.”

A grandmother died on Christmas Day – 10 days after being struck by an articulated lorry in Selkirk town centre.

Marion Fair was freed by rescuers from under the front wheel of the lorry after being hit as she crossed the A7 at what is known locally as The Fleece corner.

The accident happened on the afternoon of Monday, December 15, and police are still keen to speak to any witnesses who have not yet come forward.

Mrs Fair, 84, and from the town’s Tower Street, was treated at the scene by paramedics during the hour-long rescue operation and was taken by helicopter to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

The accident has led to fresh calls for a Selkirk bypass.

Potato growing is on such a large, professional scale now that it’s easy to forget that growers with hundreds, even thousands, of acres still run into the same problems we had when many of us grew only a dozen or so acres.

Two autumns ago, the greatest problem was harvesting in almost continuous mud and rain. This year, the problem is our old friend supply and demand. Potatoes are selling retail for the equivalent of £500 to £1,500 a tonne, but growers are getting an ex-farm price of as little as £50 a tonne. Not a lot when average growing costs are about £150 a tonne, even with modern technology, large machines and skilled management of crop growing and control of diseases and infections.

Compared to simpler times, growers also have many handling and storage hoops to jump through to supply precisely what supermarkets demand, with attendant penalties or contract cancellations if they don’t meet the specifications. Worse, these large-scale operators producing hundreds of thousands of tonnes of potatoes seem to be as vulnerable to sudden cuts in demand or price by the firms they supply as we were to the whims of the local greengrocer or potato merchant. That seems to be regardless of contracts. Our verbal agreements of the past might be, as film mogul Sam Goldwyn once famously said, “not worth the paper they’re written on”, but I expected more of modern written contracts.

Apparently not. When the crunch comes and supply exceeds demand – not least because more and more of us buy rice or pasta rather than fresh potatoes, and crops have been good this year – then potato-packing operations have unilaterally cut volumes required and prices paid.

There seems nothing growers can do when that happens except grit their teeth and hope that next year will produce better prices. When so much is invested in equipment and systems, simply opting out of potato growing is a much more difficult option.

The same applies in some degree to most types of farming. Beef is an example of where long-term planning and commitment is needed when from conception to sale of the finished beef animal is well over two years. The good news, or at least slightly better news, is that after what its spokesman calls “a rollercoaster 2014”, the National Beef Association is forecasting a better time for beef producers in 2015.

Chris Mallon, national director of the association, said that after a low-price start to this year, kinder weather and phenomenal grass growth meant that beef calves were coming indoors on average 60 kg heavier than the previous year. Cheaper cereal prices – that sound of grinding teeth is cereal growers – meant that finishing rations this winter will be cheaper. So all round it’s a good start to 2015 with, Mr Mallon suggested, a good year to come. A few thousand beef farmers throughout the country will be hoping he’s right.

As for me, I gave up forecasting anything some years ago. Actual events always topped any attempt at forecasts – ask Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne or any economist near you. But Happy New Year anyway.

Photograph: Alwyn Johnston

Oliver Kozik from Coldingham (left) was the first to arrive, born at 5.18am, weighing 8lb 3oz, followed at 2.47pm by Holly Weatherhead from Eyemouth, tipping the scales at 5lb 12oz

Scottish Borders Council has this week laid claim to having one of the best Council Tax recovery rates in Scotland.

In 2013/14, the council collected 96.6% of the £51million which the property-based levy, introduced in 1993 to replace the Community Charge (poll tax), yields annually.

And, according to a council spokesperson, that makes it the equal sixth most successful out of Scotland’s 32 local authorities.

The council was responding on Monday to figures released by Conservative MSP John Lamont, whose party has been in opposition at Newtown since 2012.

Mr Lamont, who will challenge Lib Dem MP Michael Moore in Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk at May’s General Election, claimed the council was currently owed £31million in unpaid Council Tax.

While conceding the bulk of these arrears related to the current financial year (2014/15) which still has four months to run, he said that “around £12m remains outstanding from previous years”.

Mr Lamont said: “Councils need to get better at enforcing Council Tax charges. It is grossly unfair on those of us who play by the rules and pay our taxes every year that millions of pounds remain unpaid.

“If collected, as it should be, that money could be put to good use protecting frontline public services.

“Given that Scottish Borders Council is facing financial pressure at the moment, I would have thought officials would be doing all they can to collect as much Council Tax as they can.”

While not disputing Mr Lamont’s figures, obtained using Freedom of Information legislation, the council spokesperson stated: “As is the case with local authorities across the country, SBC has Council Tax arrears outstanding for years prior to 2014/15.

“The level of these arrears will continually reduce as the council pursues them using a variety of methods at its disposal. There are, for example, already a number of instalment agreements in force reducing outstanding individual arrears. As arrears payments are made, they contribute to the council budget.

“SBC’s recovery rate for Council Tax remains at a high level. In 2013/14 it was 96.6%, equal sixth best out of 32 councils in Scotland.

“Over the last five years, we have demonstrated the ninth best performance out of Scottish local authorities for the percentage of Council Tax recovered, while in terms of our cost per chargeable dwelling, at £6.73 we were actually the third cheapest in Scotland.”

Mr Lamont also criticised the Scottish Government for its announcement that historical poll tax debts, incurred between 1989 and 1993, are to be written off. He claimed SBC is still owed £2.3million from non-payers.

“This is incorrect,” said the council spokesperson, citing the decision of SBC’s executive in October, 2012, to write off outstanding Community Charge arrears of £147,000 for 675 Borders debtors because recovery was considered “uneconomic”.

Heriot councillor Sandy Aitchison believes at some point the village will get the railway halt it deserves following months of disruption.

Mr Aitchison, who represents Galashiels & District ward on Scottish Borders Council, was speaking following complaints about flooding affecting the new underpass being built in Heriot.

It’s part of the new railway infrastructure being installed ahead of the restored line being reopened in September next year and allows pedestrians to access the A7 and bus stops.

Mr Aitchison told The Southern it had been hoped work on the underpass would have been completed by now.

“It basically boils down to the timing of work to move all the services, such as BT cabling, but this has been more problematic than expected,” he explained.

“The problems this has caused has made it quite a contentious issue in Heriot. On a couple of occasions the underpass has flooded due to the very high water table in this area.

“The underpass was the only feasible way of allowing pedestrian access to the A7 and attendant bus stops – there was no room to construct a bridge during the original planning phase.

“But holes in the walls of the underpass have allowed it to fill with water. When completed, a super-efficient pump will keep it dry as necessary, but it seems the temporary pump installed at the moment is unsatisfactory, with the result the underpass has flooded two or three times.

“The problem has also been exacerbated by the fact the special anti-slip surface has not yet been applied allowing a recent build up of ice and frost to cause difficulties.”

And Mr Aitchison says the problems with the underpass coupled to other issues for local residents should have qualified the village for at least a halt to allow the new trains to stop.

“Considering the level of disruption caused to the village and its residents, I would have thought that only fair. But while Heriot is not getting a station at this stage, as things develop in the future, who knows?”

A spokesman for Network Rail said: “We are aware of the latest report of flooding at the underpass. During the Christmas shut down, we have a team on duty that will inspect the structure twice a day to keep it open. We also have a pump operating in an effort to keep it clear of water.

“Until the structure is completed, the site is likely to continue to be affected to some extent by heavy rainfall, however, we are doing what we can to maintain this access during the Christmas break and will be seeking an improved permanent solution early in the New Year. The underpass was fully clear of water yesterday.”

Hawick Conservative Club continue to lead the Border Snooker League as the year comes to an end, while the battles between local A and B teams rage on below them.

JJ Xpress Border Snooker League results: Selkirk A 3 Hawick Conservative Club A 3; Hawick Conservative Club B 4 Selkirk B 2; Hawick Burns Club A 5 Jedburgh Legion 1; St Boswells 2 Hawick Burns Club B 4.

League standings after 15 weeks: 1, Hawick Conservative Club A 59; 2, Hawick Burns Club B 48; 3, Hawick Burns Club A 48; 4, Selkirk B 42; 5, Selkirk A 42; 6, Jedburgh Legion 41; 7, St Boswells 41; 8, Hawick Conservative Club B 39.

Once again weather threatened, but came to nothing and the Lauder Golf Club Winter League field enjoyed a pleasant morning.

The nearly man finally topped the poll. Billy Hunter, who has been knocking at the door all season, triumphed with a 79 (11) 68, defeating Micky Dunne, 77 (9) 68, by way of a better inward half.

Tom Hogarth sneaked on to the podium with an 85 (15) 70, edging out Matty Whiteford via a better inward six.

Hunter and Tom Hogarth both had twos at the quarry hole on the back nine.

Borders sporting stars pitched up at Earlston High School to spread some inspiration among the region’s up-and-coming athletes.

Chris Paterson (rugby), Katy Winton (enduro cross mountain biking), Janet Jack (hockey) and Catriona Morrison (duathlon) visited to give their select audience an insight into how to succeed and achieve in life.

The three-hour training seminar delivered by the athletes was attended by 11 pupils selected from six schools across the region. All of the youngsters were part of the Borders Sport and Leisure Young Ambassador and Lead 2014 initiatives.

The event was organised by Borders Sport and Leisure’s Active Schools Team in association with the Winning Scotland Foundation.

Borders Sport and Leisure has worked with the foundation over the last five years to deliver the Champions in Schools Programme that enables established local athletes to visit a chosen school to meet pupils and discuss how participation in sport can have an impact on all aspects of life and achieving goals.

Following the highly successful event at Earlston High School, the intention is to expand this scheme in 2015 to enable every Borders secondary school to host a session in the coming year.

Ewan Jackson, chief executive of Borders Sport and Leisure, said: “This is a really exciting development for the Champions in Schools Programme.

“In the last five years, the programme has really engaged Borders schools with a variety of high-profile sporting role models who have delivered a number of key messages about succeeding through effort and learning from failure.

“The opportunity for us to engage with even more pupils is one that we are really looking forward to.”

Catriona Morrison, programme manager at the Winning Scotland Foundation, added: “The Winning Scotland Foundation is delighted to continue its partnership with Borders Sport & Leisure in delivering the Champions in Schools Programme.

“It is particularly pleasing to see their commitment to growing the programme in order that as many young people as possible benefit from the invaluable messages that the athletes deliver.”

Pupils participating in the Earlston event were: Robbie Czajka, Melissa Gordon, Lauren Thomson, Thomas Otton, Euan Graham (Galashiels Academy); Georgia Paterson (Peebles High School); Gemma Watson (Earlston HS); Bob Hurren (Kelso HS); Niamh Sharp (Hawick HS); Mia Elliot, Lewis Turnbull (Jedburgh Grammar School).

Dalbeattie Star0

Gala FDR1

Gala manager Steven Noble hailed Kyle Collins’ 25-yard volley on Saturday as a goal fit to win any match, writes Robert Fairburn.

The 23-year-old has only just returned to the Netherdale club after a year spent coaching soccer in American colleges.

But he proved to be the 55th-minute matchwinner at Dalbeattie’s Islecroft Park to give Gala a welcome three Lowland League points.

Noble said: “The pitch was really heavy and both teams had to adapt to the conditions.

“We had a depleted squad with guys missing for one reason or another, and had a 15-year-old and 16-year-old on the bench. But everyone did an excellent job and it was a massive effort to win the game.

“Kyle’s goal was an absolute raker and it was worthy of winning any match.

“The target now is to get a run of results going and continue the climb up the league table.”

Jamie Gibson had the visitors’ best chance set up by Stuart Noble on 20 minutes, but his low shot was brilliantly saved by Euan Drysdale in the Star goal.

Gala keeper John Dodds was called upon five minutes later and also saved well from Liam Park.

The second half was 10 minutes old when Collins produced the magic moment with his 25-yard half volley, giving Drysdale no chance, screaming into the top corner of the net to the delight of his team mates and bench.

The game was finely balanced for the rest of the half, however, the visitors held out to ensure an enjoyable bus journey home.

Hawick Waverley are set to kick off the New Year under the recently-appointed managerial team of Neal McConnell and Alan Campbell.

The pair have been stand-in bosses for the Wilton Lodge Park side since October following the resignation of manager Paul Brownlee.

And with the New Year approaching, the Teries will be hoping that 2015 brings about better fortunes.

Despite having several high-quality players in their squad, Waverley are deep down in the lower half of the Border Amateur League’s A Division and have made early exits from the cup competitions they have been involved in.

McConnell, a former Hawick Legion and Hawick Royal Albert defender before joining Waverley, will manage the side, with Campbell as his assistant.

“Now that I’m the manager I can start putting my own stamp on things,” he said.

“Football is a simple game. It doesn’t need to be complicated, it’s all about the basics. My main aim is to improve our league position and I’m sure this can be done.”

A Hawick man has been accused of struggling violently with two female police officers and kicking one of them on the leg.

Christopher Kali, of Overhall Road, Wilton Dean, is also charged with kicking a male police community support officer on the leg at Hawick police station on Sunday.

The 21-year-old faces a further two allegations of urinating in circumstances likely to cause offence to another person, and shouting and swearing and committing a breach of the peace on Sunday.

Kali appeared from custody at Selkirk Sheriff Court on Monday and pleaded not guilty to all five charges.

He was released on bail to his trial date of May 7 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court, with an intermediate hearing on April 7.

The man who led the referendum’s Yes campaign in the Borders is aiming for a seat at Westminster.

Calum Kerr is seeking the SNP’s nomination for the Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk seat.

If he’s successful, that would pitch him against veteran Lib Dem and former Scottish Secretary Michael Moore at May’s general election.

The dad-of-three chaired the Yes Scottish Borders Group in the build-up to the September vote.

He’s already won the backing of the party’s Berwickshire branch for his candidacy.

And the Galashiels-born, Peebles-educated campaigner believes the SNP can win the seat.

He stated: “We are in hugely confident form after achieving a remarkable 45 per cent in the referendum and our party membership has gone from 25,000 to more than 92,000 since September.

“If we can send enough SNP MPs to Westminster, we can make sure that our voice is heard, that Gordon Brown’s vow is delivered and that we create a better Borders in a stronger Scotland.”

And Mr Kerr has already launched an attack on the sitting MP and his party, claiming their supporters feel betrayed.

He said: “As a coalition government minister and backbench MP, Mr Moore has been happy to support Tory policies such as austerity, tuition fees, savage attacks on the disabled and vulnerable, and the hated bedroom tax.

“In 2010, many people voted for Michael Moore to keep the Tories out.

“What they got was an MP who was prepared to join those same Tories in government and vote for their deeply damaging policies.”

Gala10

Melrose20

Melrose came out on top in this bruising Boxing Day battle that left both sides nursing injury problems for some of their key players.

Up for grabs was the Waverley Cup with the visitors to Netherdale determined to regain the trophy and halt the Maroons’ winning streak of three victories.

But the festive season entertainment for the big crowd came at a cost for both sides with Gala prop Paul Stewart being stretchered off with a broken ankle just before half-time and then, shortly after the interval, referee Cammy Rudkin taking all the players off the field for 10 minutes after Melrose back-row player Ruairidh Knott suffered suspected injuries to his hip and pelvis.

Knott was taken to Borders General Hospital by ambulance, but later released with what the club’s director of rugby, Mike Dalgetty, says was soft tissue damage.

“Ruairidh had lost sensation in one of his legs and that’s why they had to be so careful with him on the pitch. But he’s back at home and recovering.”

Dalgetty was pleased with the win, saying it was good preparation for forthcoming games, but added: “I didn’t think it was the best of games and the injuries for both sides marred things a bit.”

But the game did hand a number of young Greenyards players their senior debuts, while Gala will be encouraged by the amount of possession and territory they enjoyed, as well as the opportunities created.

Both sides had struggled to gain the upper hand in a patchy first half. Melrose took the lead with a penalty from Joe Helps after just three minutes.

That was how the score remained until the 27th minute when Gala centre Ewan Scott cancelled out Melrose’s advantage and levelled the scores with a penalty.

But seven minutes from the interval, some sustained pressure by the visitors saw Helps feed Murdo McAndrew, who in turn released Bruce Colvine for a try under the posts, which Helps converted to put Melrose 3-10 ahead.

The Maroons then suffered a double whammy, losing the injured Stewart after a ruck and seeing Helps knock over a second penalty to give the visitors a 3-13 lead at half-time.

Two minutes into the second half, the game was held up for over 10 minutes as Knott lay on the pitch receiving attention before he too was stretchered off.

But it looked like Melrose would be the side celebrating when half-way through the period some heavy forward pressure saw Nick Beavon driven over for the score and Helps added a second conversion.

That made it 3-20. Melrose winger Tito Mua was yellow-carded for obstructing at a penalty three minutes from normal time, but Gala struggled to make the one-man advantage count until Russell Anderson scored and Scott converted.

Local rugby clubs have been coming out in support of an Earlston teenager who sustained a life-changing injury to his spine in September while playing for Stirling University.

A coffee morning hosted and organised at The Haugh by Grace Blaikie, grandmother of injured player Connor Hughes, 19, raised £300, with a further £500 donated by Earlston Rugby Club through their own fundraising activities.

Since Connor’s accident, family and friends, and the rugby community have been actively fundraising to help him lead his life to the full.

Earlston Rugby Club president George Cessford said: “I’m delighted that the club could offer assistance and was pleased that the event had been a great success.

“I’d especially like to thank our members Nicola Driver and Jake Gillie for their efforts in assisting the family.

“Future fundraising events in conjunction with the family are planned, with our thanks in advance to everyone for their continued support for this cause.

“On behalf of Earlston Rugby Club, I’d like to wish Connor all very best with his recovery.”

Elsewhere, Selkirk Rugby Club and its supporters have made a donation of £1,334 to the fund.

Connor’s girlfriend, Amy Kemp, who hails from the Royal Burgh, received the cheque at Philiphaugh from club president Mick Craig.

“It’s extremely kind of Selkirk Rugby Club to donate this money to the fund,” said Amy, “and Connor has been overwhelmed by the huge amount of support he’s received since the accident.”

With many other clubs in the region donating, Connor’s Fund total now stands at over £63,000.

“It’s amazing,” added Amy, Connor, his family and friends are so grateful for everyone’s good wishes and generosity.”

Connor and his sister Rachel are heading out to California on January 15, where they will spend seven to eight weeks at the world-renowned Project Walk paralysis recovery centre in San Diego. Training is also being provided for Rachel, so she will be able to carry on Connor’s rehab programme when they return to the Borders. Visit: www.connorsjourney.com for more information and to donate.

Jed-Forest14

Hawick35

The Greens visited Riverside Park on Boxing Day for a Booker Border League clash and came away victors, courtesy of an impressive first-half display.

A decent crowd turned up for the popular derby match, where the Skelly Cup was also being played for, and it was the visitors whose scrum won the game, thanks mainly to props Nick Maclennon and Wullie Blacklock.

The visitors scored four tries in the first half through Keith Davies, Blacklock, Matty Douglas and Sean Goodfellow, all of which Douglas converted to give the Greens a 28-0 lead.

Five minutes into the second half, Hawick replacement scrum half Greg Cottrell showed good awareness to rob his opponent of the ball and score an opportunist try under the posts which Douglas again converted.

However, not for the first time this season, the Riverside outfit made a fight of it with two touchdowns, from Ross Coombe and Robbie Shira-Gibb, converted by Daniel Ritchie.

Jed dug in deep in the second half and deserved their tries, but the Greens’ coaches will once again be asking questions of how their team ran out of gas in the latter stages of a game.

Hawick stand-off Matty Douglas was deservedly voted man-of-the-match.

Friday’s win puts Hawick in third place on the Border League table, one point behind leaders Gala and Melrose, both on 15, and with a game in hand.

The last 16 in the BT Cup will battle it out for quarter-final places this weekend, and for four Borders teams that means the festivities are well and truly over.

Kelso are the only local National League side still involved and they take on Musselburgh, a team one league below them, at Poynder Park on Saturday (3pm).

New coach Gary Holborn was delighted with his side’s 77-0 win against Hillhead Jordanhill before the Christmas break, but knows there is still a lot of work to do.

“We played some excellent rugby for the full 80, when in the past we would have taken the foot off,” he said.

“This backs up the positive attitude and work ethic we are developing. The most pleasing aspect, though, has to be the zero on the scoreboard.

“Saying that, we are still, and will be for a while yet, a work in progress.”

Also on cup duties this Saturday are Gala (v Stirling, 3pm at Netherdale), while Hawick and Melrose travel to play Edinburgh Accies (1.30pm) and Glasgow Hawks (3pm) respectively. Jed-Forest and Peebles both have home league ties against Hillhead Jordanhill and Aberdeen (both 3pm).