By Darin Hutson

Copyright thesouthernreporter

Four rounds into the new season, co-head coaches Bruce McNeil and Nikki Walker’s Poynder Park club, with two wins – both derbies, the other being by 14-10 hosting Hawick at the end of August – and nine points to their name, are the only Borderers in the top half of the table. Melrose are sixth on seven points, Hawick eighth on five and Selkirk bottom on four. Co-head coaches Scott Wight and Iain Chisholm’s Melrose and opposite number Graham Hogg’s Hawick, beaten 42-10 away to Glasgow Hawks on Saturday, have managed one win apiece so far, but Gordon Henderson’s Souters extended their current losing streak in the premiership to six matches and almost six months with a 40-36 loss at home to Glasgow Hutchesons’ Aloysians at the weekend. Kelso and Melrose scored one try each, via left-winger Archie Barbour and right-winger Finn Douglas respectively, but home co-captain and No 14 Dwain Patterson’s three penalties to visiting full-back Rory McHaffie’s one won the day for the hosts. Those three kicks also take him to joint-top of the leaderboard for points scored so far this season, level on 30 with GHA’s Gregor Drummond. Patterson was pleased to see his side tighten up defensively after conceding 41 points at GHA seven days prior and 36 away to Watsonians on the opening day of the season last month, telling Borders Rugby TV afterwards: “Defence was a big focus this week after shipping 41 points up in Glasgow last week. “We were really disappointed in our defensive display last weekend, so that was a big focus this week, and we were really chuffed to keep Melrose to eight points. “Melrose were in our half for 20 to 25 minutes, so for them to only come away from that with three points was massive. We were really happy with that.” Visiting fly-half Roan Frostwick was less happy with his side’s performance, adding: “Credit to Kelso, they executed their game-plan very well, us not as much, so we’ve certainly got to buck up our ideas. “Our conversion rate is a massive thing. We’re creating good opportunities – we just need to finish some tries now and get some points over that line.” Hawick’s sole try at Glasgow’s Balgray Stadium was scored by openside flanker Connor Sutherland, with fly-half Kyle Brunton kicking a conversion and penalty to put them 10-6 in front at one point. Their hosts’ tries were touched down by Max Morrison, Seb Hastings, Harvey Preston with a hat-trick and Yousuf Shaheen, with Liam Brims adding three conversions and two penalties. Hooker Corey Tait scored two tries for Selkirk, with lock Jack Fisher, right-winger Josh Welsh and full-back Callum Anderson touching down too and a penalty try also being awarded, plus fly-half Morris Clementson and replacement Ross Wolfenden kicking a conversion each. GHA’s try-scorers, as they fought back from falling 29-7 behind by half-time, were Glen Drummond, Dario Ewing, Luke McCutcheon, Nicky Thompson at the double and Ruari Campbell, with Andrew Goudie and Aminio Bogidrau adding two conversions apiece and Drummond another.