Jed-Forest39
Hawick42
This derby game was never going to be the walkover for Hawick that some predicted after Jed’s heavy defeat to Hawks in their previous game.
With several injured players back in the team, the Riverside outfit were ready to prove, despite impending relegation, that they could compete with any team in the National League.
Hawick’s target of a bonus-point win was not a foregone conclusion.
The visitors made the first real break after only five minutes when Keith Davies ran in at the post for Neil Renwick to convert.
Two minutes later, Hawick were 12 points in front when Renwick finished off some fast Hawick running by crossing in the corner.
The Greens seemed to ease off the throttle a little, allowing the Jed forwards to force a maul which saw talented youngster Glen Young over the line. Donald Grieve converted.
Renwick converted a penalty before further Jed pressure led to a yellow card for Hawick centre Gary Johnstone, but this only seemed to spur on the Greens, who responded with a try from John Coutts.
Again, the Jed forwards raised their game and after a few phases, the extra man told when Robert Hogg touched down. Grieve slotted the conversion and added an injury-time penalty to make the half-time score 17-20.
Hawick started the second half on the front foot with a quick-fire double from Lindsey Gibson and Lee Armstrong, Renwick converting the former.
Jed stuck to the task, however, and responded in kind. A penalty try, converted by Grieve, was awarded before Nua Fono-Hunt touched down after some fine work by the home pack.
Hawick scored another try from Ross Armstrong, which Renwick converted before adding a penalty.
Jed replied with a try by Declan Wallace, converted by Grieve, and quickly followed this up with an other converted penalty to tie the game with five minutes of injury time to play.
Hawick had the final word, however, when Renwick kicked a penalty.
Jed-Forest: D. Wallace; E. Munro, R. Hogg, N. Fono-Hunt, D. Gobby; R. Miller, R. Goodfellow; A. Frame, D. Grieve, G. Slorance, N. Cook, G. Young, G. Elder, D. Grieve, M. Weekley. Subs: N. Bates, J. Szkudro, S. Raeburn, J. Sudlow, R. Jackson.
Hawick: N. Renwick; S. Anderson, L. Armstrong, G. Johnstone, J. Coutts; R. Hutton, G. Cottrell; S. Muir, L. Gibson, L. Launders, K. Willison, D. Lowrie, N. Mactaggart, S. Graham, K. Davies. Subs: M. Landels, H. Scammell, C. Smith, N. McColm, G. Hogg.