Hawick Linden/Force Select 0 Kelso 2nds 45
The game at Mansfield on Friday night was rather one sided on the scoreboard but the young select hosts tried hard throughout. With a much larger and more experienced set of visitors, many with 1st team recent experience, the encounter was tough on the youngsters but a strong wind and rain deluge did not help. Tom Huggan and Rab Linton were captains for the night and both got through a power of work. Linden’s Chris Shand ‘scored’ in the corner only to be denied by a dubious flag and he kicked well. Lewis Elder was another to make a decent showing in the backline. Liam Graham covered a lot of ground and he was spurred on by the longest lasting player of Hawick rugby in the form of Ricki Kiore who tried harder and tackled more than anyone else on the pitch.
In the second half the visitors stretched clear despite Linton’s heroics and deserved their victory but much heart was taken seeing a largely Linden fifteen giving them a run for their money for large parts of the contest. Pete Drysdale came on as a sub to shore up the defence while Aaron Fletcher with Dom Kubicki were always willing to engage in the battle until understandable tiredness kicked in.
