Kelso RFC (23) vs Hawick YM (17) - Friendlies

Pre-Match Report

Both teams were keen to get a game under their belts before the restart of league rugby next weekend. However, one coach would sleep a great deal easier than the other after the game. Kelso had not played since their fine away win over Jed-Forest in early December and they were very rusty in a game which eventually was won by Kelso who scraped through against their much lower ranked opponents. 

Kelso were close to full strength, with a few players making a comeback after injury. Kevin Utterson and Stef Carnegie missed the game but Ewan Ford played for the first time since theMelrose match as did Gregg Minto. 

On a damp and blowy night on a soft pitch, Kelso started off well with a fine try by Gregg Minto after a line out win on half way. The ball was switched to Minto who raced through several would be tackles to score too far out for the conversion to be successful. 

There followed a continuous period of YM pressure which ended in a well worked try again from a lineout as Wullie Blacklock burst through to score with Ali Weir converting to take YM into the lead by 7-5. The lead, however, was short-lived as Kieran Wilkinson kicked a penalty from the Redskins 22. 

As they were conceding a few penalties, Kelso had little chance of making headway but a lightning strike by the combined passing of backs and forwards took play into the YM 22 where they conceded a penalty for Wilkinson to increase the Kelso score to 11. 

Shortly after, a YM passing move broke down on half way for Richard Minto to hack through and ultimately win the foot race to touch down near the posts to give Wilkinson an easy conversion. That ended the scoring in the half but not the action. Kelso who were feeling the wrath of referee Scott Tomlinson were penalised 4 times in quick succession. His patience wore very thin and he decided to give Kieran Cooney an early interval break with a yellow card. The Kelso team was disrupted as Stuart Lowrie had to come on as prop for the sin binning with Gareth Riddell being sacrificed. There was time for Kelso to win a scrum ball against the head and for Wilkinson to miss a penalty to go to the break at 18-7 ahead. 

The second half began with a Weir penalty for YM and a desperate chase for the touchdown after a smart kick through by YM. Kelso just made it and, after a stoppage for an injury to Mark Chester, Kelso increased their lead with a fine try by Kieran Wilkinson. A break out in the middle of the field by Donald Seed was continued by Kieran Cooney and the ball spun along the line to Wilkinson, who dashed over with Gregg Minto outside him to distract the defence. Kieran converted his own try. 

Kelso had a good period of pressure which suggested that the tries were just about to come. David Lowrie picked up from the base of the scrum and made good yards but was held up. Frankie Robson made a sharp break but was stopped short. Andy Tait was adjudged to have knocked on as he went for a try. Kelso even opted for a scrum in front of the posts after a Hawick penalty. It was not to be for Kelso! 

YM finished the game with another period of pressure and, after kicking for the corner from a penalty, they scored another try form a line out when number 8, Stuart Graham, was driven over in the corner. Ali Weir, with the last play of the game, converted the try from the touchline to close the gap to 23-17 to Kelso. 

Kelso did not take a great deal out of the game as their performance was error strewn and they seem to have gone back to their fault of the start of the season by conceding an enormous number of penalties. There may have been some misunderstanding of the referee’s interpretation of some of the laws of the game but he just awards the penalties. The players concede them! 

All in all, a game with lots of chances, a game to blow away the winter closedown cobwebs but, more importantly, a game which showed Kelso that there is work to be done before the Group C league games recommence next Saturday. 

Kelso: Kieran Wilkinson, Lewis Mallin, Richard Minto, Frankie Robson, Gregg Minto, Mark Chester, Andy Tait, Kieran Cooney, Chris Riddell, Ali Marsh, Donald Seed, Ian Wallace, Gareth Riddell, James Stevenson, David Lowrie.

Replacement: Stuart Lowrie, Allan Frame, Ewan Ford, Allan Haig 

Hawick YM: Matthew Douglas, Ryan Trimby, Chris Ritson, Dean McCracken, Glyn Desport, Ali Weir, Bruce Campbell, Billy Lilly, Garry Douglas, Wullie Blacklock, Alistair Turnbull, Steven Mabon, Craig Robson, Barry Hill, Stuart Graham.

Replacements: Rob White, Shaun Desport, Gregor Welsh, Lee Armstrong

Match Report

Coming Soon…