Melrose 10-42 Biggar: Leaders 15 points clear at top after first ever win at The Greenyards

This was the first time in the club’s history that Biggar have won at the famous ground, having lost their previous three visits.

Playing with the Storm Dennis-affected gale at their backs in the first half, Melrose went into an early 3-0 lead when fullback David Colvinne kicked a penalty.

Biggar’s cause suffered a setback when, at the end of the first quarter, prop Donald Voas fell to the ground after a scrum. A calf tear was diagnosed and he was replaced by Andrew Peacock, who was himself carrying a knee injury but went on to make a huge contribution.

Biggar laid siege to the Melrose line from a lineout and, after a couple of forays by Ewan Stewart and Chris Mulligan, Richard Bassett dived over from close range for Biggar’s opening try.

Andrew Jardine, making a return to the ground where he played two seasons ago, stroked the first of six successful kicks for 7-3.

Melrose then scored their try when a chip forward appeared to be covered by scrum half Luhann Kotze but the youngster dropped the ball, and then, to compound matters, he flung the ball forward in frustration.

Playing the advantage, South African referee Craig Clark dodged the ball which then fell to Melrose prop Jake Fairley, who made good ground in open space before passing to winger Aidan Cross for what was really a gift of a score.

Having managed a really good score to take the lead, Biggar were now behind at 10-7.

After Melrose lock Tom Brown was yellow-carded for illegally blocking Kutze, Biggar’s Bassett collected from a lineout and drove home from 20m, converted by Jardine for 14-10 to Biggar.

The visitors’ third try then cam when a series of drives ended with Mulligan’s try and Jardine’s third conversion.

A dominant Biggar scrum and then a carry by Conor Lavery saw Kutze whip the ball out to Euan Sanderson, who weaved his way through a weak Melrose defence to secure Biggar’s fourth and vital bonus point try. Jardine slotted the kick for 28-10.

Some ill-advised comments to referee Clark ended with Melrose stand-off Donald Crawford being shown a yellow but worse was to follow as replacement hooker Richard Ferguson was shown a straight red for verbal abuse.

Down to 13 men and without a recognised front row, scrums were then uncontested. Biggar quickly replaced prop Bassett with Alan Warnock, while Finlay Barr took the field for Peacock.

A poorish pass from Mulligan meant another score was shunned but Robbie Orr ran in for try number five.

Shortly after that, and with just seconds to go, another series of forward surges was rounded off by Ross Jackson, who bundled his way through a tired Melrose defence and over the line for the sixth try.

As had been the case at half-time, Jardine’s kick brought the half and, indeed, the match, to its end.

This was a significant effort for Jardine, who was returning to The Greenyards after a largely unsatisfactory spell there.

Biggar, who now have 83 points from 18 matches in Tennent’s National Division 1, have no competitive fixture this Saturday.