With less than a week to go before the ultimate in tournaments of the historic shortened game, the Ladies took part in their reduced numbers National League clash at Melrose, with both sides taking the field with 12 players to assist a home side ravaged by injuries and non-availability.

Both teams started in front of a crowd of 6 people, a dog and a less than interested horse in the adjoining field!

The opening exchanges were filled with errors as the visitors found it difficult to adjust their 12-man (surely woman? – Ed) game plan.

The game was held up for sometime whilst a Melrose player received treatment for a knee injury.  Unable to recover, the home side went down to 11 players which looked ominous for the Borders side against a Lismore team gunning for promotion to top flight rugby.

However, this seemed to inspire the home side and it was against the run of play that they opened the scoring in the 10th minute.  A break from just inside the Lismore half by the Melrose 12 took her up to inside the 22 and despite the efforts of Kinghorn, she offloaded into the path of the No.13 who shook off Simmonite to dive over for a try.  5-0.

It didn’t take long for the visitors reply and it was a first try of the season for Heard which pulled the Edinburgh side level.  Patrick took the ball to the Melrose 22 with a trademark run and popped the ball into the path of the on-rushing Simmonite.  The pocket rocket scrum-half was only just stopped in her tracks before she released a long hopeful pass to Kinghorn on the touchline.  The winger stepped back inside and eluded the tackle of the Melrose 12 before offloading to Heard for the try.  5-5.

The next twenty minutes were spent with the ball being thrown around by both sets of players as if it was a hand grenade with the pin taken out of it! 

The game came to life on the half-hour with a well worked and deserved try for the home team.  A break on the Lismore 22 offered an overlap for the No.3 who brushed off Simmonite’s challenge and just made it to the try line before Kinghorn’s desperate efforts to get her hand under the ball.  10-5.

The lead changed hands again five minutes later as Lismore piled on the pressure.  Neary collected the ball just inside the Melrose half and took off like an express train leaving the No 13 in the distance.  The supporting No.11 tried to cut off the Lismore centre’s path however a quick change of direction saw her run in for a try.  Patrick lined up the kick just to right of the uprights and the stand-off slotted the kick from a tight angle.  Little did the Canadian know how vital these extra points would count at the end of the game!  10-12 at half-time.

Within 60 seconds of the restart, Kinghorn had increased the lead for the tourists with a great piece of individual skill and pace.  Using the wide of the pitch, which was greater due to the numerical disadvantage on the field, she outran the No.13 and the new look No.15 to go in under the posts.  Patrick duly obliged by kicking the extras from bang in front – 10-19.

It was a Kinghorn double just 90 seconds later with an almost carbon copy try.  Heard secured the ball as it bounced around the hard surface and with Neary in support, the young centre set up Kinghorn to run in from a full 40 metres.  Patrick made it 3 out of 4 on the day to take the score to 10-26 and it was looking like the side from the Capital had put light between the sides and the points in the bag.

Ahhhh, not so fast. Rugby in the Borders is the religion of the people and they don’t give up easily.  Lismore seemed to switch off and the home side edge back the score to 15-26 with a well worked try of the own which allowed their stand-off to converted.

Kinghorn produced the tackle of the day on her opposite number causing the game to be halted for a few minutes to allow treatment.  In the melting Melrose heat, the players were probably thankful for the respite however it seemed to spur on the home team it they made the final few minutes of the game very interesting indeed with a further try in the 76th minute.  Kinghorn attempted a near decapitation in attempting to prevent a try but the match official allowed play to continue and the Melrose player was the first to react and dived on the ball for the easiest try of her career.  The conversion was added and with the score at 24-26, it was squeaky-bum time for the players, management and supporters who had made the journey down the A7.

With the game almost over, the referee penalised Lismore for not releasing the ball in the tackle and a very kickable penalty was awarded to the home side.  Up came the Melrose 10, who had been relatively success for the bulk of the afternoon knowing that a successful attempt would pull off one of the shock victories in the National League this season. 

Agonisingly for the home team and the kicker, the ball went past the face of the posts and Callaghan put the ball dead in the in-goal area to record a win for a Lismore side who stay in contention for a bite at Premier League rugby next season.

Final Score – Melrose WRFC 24 – 26 Lismore WRFC