Watsonians 14
Kelso 36
RBS NATIONAL LEAGUE
NORMAN ANDERSON reports from Myreside
THE Tweedsiders exacted revenge for a 51-3 thumping earlier this season.
Kelso, fielding a makeshift second row, scored the first try of the day after Donald Seed secured clean line-out ball. It fizzed back and forward along the line and, following a ruck just short of the Watsonians’ line, Stuart Lowrie celebrated his birthday a day early by burrowing over for a try. Murray Hastie, who had missed an earlier penalty, converted.
The visitors lost Kieran Cooney through a bad facial injury and lost a try when Claudio Gamboa opened the homesters’ account. Brian Walls added the conversion.
Then, a trip on Gregor Millar allowed Hastie to kick an easy penalty.
Kelso added to their lead two minutes later when a Michael Robertson pick-up at the back of the scrum was taken on by both Mintos. Eventually, Richard Minto broke through, ignoring a three-to-one, and touched down near the posts. Hastie again added the extras.
More was to come from Kelso after another Robertson pick-up. Gregor Millar pounced on a loose ball and raced 60m up the touchline, and cut inside for a fine individual try. Hastie failed with the conversion, but Kelso were 22-7 ahead at the break.
As the second period went on, the more comfortable Kelso seemed to be, until the 68th minute when Ewan Millar, who had scored a hat-trick against the Poynder Park outfit after coming off the bench during the earlier match, burst through unopposed for a touchdown at the posts which Walls converted.
But Kelso soon had the bonus point in the bag when they opted for a scrum near the posts. Again, Robertson picked up and strolled over, with Hastie adding the extras.
The visitors sealed victory after Hastie put in a perfect kick for Gregg Minto to chase, so forcing the line-out. A clean catch by Seed and a quick pass to captain Chris Riddell took play up to the home line. Riddell fed Robertson who crashed over for his second try.
Hastie converted from near the touchline to take Kelso home by 36-14 and him over 200 points for the season.
Kelso: A. Alexander; G. Millar, R. Minto, D. Buckley, G. Minto; M. Hastie, F. Strachan; S. Lowrie, C. Riddell, A. Marsh, K. Cooney, D. Seed, I. Wallace, M. Robertson, J. Stewart. Replacements: D. Redstone, P. Grahamslaw, S. Patterson, K. Flannigan, G. Ponton.