Saturday saw Stewart’s Melville visit Northumberland for the second time in two months to be hosted by Berwick RFC.

On a glorious autumnal day the visitors started the game playing down the Scremerston slope and the first fifteen or so minutes saw both sides test each other out without making much of an impression on each other - or, indeed, the scoreboard. The afternoon’s try scoring started with Hartlepool native, Max Filby, barrelling over from close range. Adam Fraser converted. Possession and territory were beginning to favour Stew Mel and James Allen darted between defenders from the base of a ruck to add a second try.  Berwick 0-12 Stewart’s Melville. The rest of the first half followed the pattern of the first 15 minutes with neither side quite able to pull away from the other and the first half ended Berwick 0–12 Stew Mel.

 

The scoring in the second half began with Berwick kicking a penalty to bring the score to 3–12. The bench was beginning to be emptied with Duncan Reid, Hayden Hart and Jamie Chalmers joining the fray and making telling contributions. The first try scorer of the second half was possibly Chris Baikie with Adam Fraser converting. Debutant Jamie Chalmers was beginning to appear with ball in hand in open prairie and scored his first 1st XV try from close range before doubling his tally by charging down a Berwick clearance kick and collecting the ricocheting ball to canter in for the try. Adam Fraser converted to extend our lead to 3-31.

Berwick finished the afternoon’s try scoring with 2 tries in the last quarter for the game to finish Berwick 15 – 31 Stew Mel.

 

Man of the match was captain Jamie Sword, with mentions in dispatches to Archie Clarke and Max Filby. Gregor Thomson worked hard on both sides of the ball to complement the efforts of his back-row colleagues. 5 points and 5 tries away from home at a venue which will not see many visiting sides leave with points is an excellent result.

 

A strong start to the league season, with 10 points out of a possible 10, has put Stew Mel in a good position, however, a tough test awaits at Beveridge Park in Kirkcaldy on Friday night.

 

David Calder

Photos from Stuart Fenwick with thanks.