Dundee High 32
Melrose 19
RBS PREMIERSHIP
IN A game that was vital to both sides, for very different reasons, the home team emerged victors at Mayfield.
Dundee’s win lifts them off the bottom of the table while Melrose, after their third Premiership defeat on the bounce, have all but lost sight of retaining their title and will have a fight to qualify for next season’s British and Irish Cup.
Jamie Urqhart’s five from eight penalties proved decisive, with both sides scoring three tries.
Dundee struck first, against the run of play, with prop Steve Longwell crashing over and Urqhart adding the conversion.
Melrose responded well and after Andrew Nagle was held up over the line the back row man picked up from a scrum, fed to Bruce Colvine who managed to ground the ball.
Urqhart notched the first of his five penalties before a Melrose mistake in the middle of the field allowed Jack Steele to run in another try for the hosts. Half time; Dundee 15, Melrose 5
Two more penalties were dispatched by Urqhart after the restart, but there was a chink of light when the home side were temporarily reduced to 14. In the spirit of recent games, Melrose fought back, Alun Walker and Ross Miller notched a try apiece, with Andrew Skeen converted both. In between however, Richie McIver added five points of his own. Two late penalties from Urquart finished the scoring, denying Melrose the consolation of a losing bonus point.
Melrose: A. Jessop; U. Kalamafoni, J. Murray, R. Mill, J. Helps; A. Skeen, B. Colvine; N. Little, A. Walker, G. Holborn, P. Eccles, R. Miller, J. Dalziel, D. Crawford, A. Nagle. Subs: W. Mitchell, C. Arthur, R. Ovens, S. McCormick, S. Chalmers.