MATCH REPORT: HAWICK VS. JED

29 January 2022

This match report has been drawn from memory and it is not as sharp as it used to be, it’s an age thing I believe. It’s hard to recall every phase of play, but it was brilliant to watch and great to see so many boys back in the Royal Blue. Each and every one of you gave 110% for the shirt last night. Friday night lights could be the way forward bringing with it a good support. 

Jed-Forest A hosted Hawick Force at Riverside Park for another local derby last night. Switching the match from Saturday to Friday night lights saw the game attract a large supporting crowd for both teams. 

Play kicked off amidst the tension and the battle between both squads ensued. Attack and Defence was relentless clearly stamping the intentions of both sides, they were both here to win and the hunger for that was clear. Jed A had travelled to Hawick earlier in the season returning to Riverside Park with a comfortable 33-17 victory, but the Force had other plans for tonight. 

It was 20 minutes before the first points were scored coming in the form of a neatly worked try with Reece Hartdegan breaking through the Jed defence to score the 1st try successfully converted by Kyle Brunton. From the restart, Jed hit back at Hawick hard with attacking pressure from the Jed pack. 

Following several phases of play from both sides, it was from a Jed break that the ball made its way through the line to winger Kris Rowley who started an attack on up the wing and when met with Hawick defence chipped and chased. The ball bouncing neatly for the winger to pick up but a tackle on the Hawick 22 resulted in a clean offload to the support of centre Clark Douglas who was through for Jed’s first try, successfully converted by Ryan Miller. 

Halftime Score Jed-Forest A 7 – 7 Hawick Force 

Jed squad again from the restart and with lifted spirits were battering down the Hawick defence with attack after attack. Jack Howe carrying with several breaks through the Hawick defence. Sure enough, once the pack had drawn in the Hawick defenders the line was broken by centre Clark Douglas who was able to cleanly off load to the support of Scrum half Ryan Miller who scored under the posts and successfully converted. 

Hawick gathered themselves from the restart and we were back to an evenly matched bout of attacking Rugby, both sides defences holding strong until a lapse in concentration from Jed saw Reece Hartdegan slip through for his second try of the match which was unconverted. 

The score now 14-12 this game was opening up to be anyone’s and had become a very entertaining match for the home and away support. Play resumed and Hawick started piling the pressure onto Jed defence securing a penalty just short of the Jed 22. A lapse in discipline saw the penalty move forward

 a further 20 metres and Hawick opted for a scrum. As if to balance out the fate of ill-discipline, Hawick conceded a penalty and a get out card for Jed. Getting themselves back into a solid attacking position from the line out, the Jed Squad were soon progressing towards the Hawick 22 and with the ball making its way out to Kris Rowley who once again chipped and chased. This time it looked like the kick had extended the reach of his chase however with the ball bouncing loose towards the dead ball, a dive saw him chalk up the third try for Jed, successfully converted by Lewis Elder. 

With the score now 21-12 and Jed having survived the attack of Hawick minutes earlier, Hawick went on another relentless attacking phase. Kieran Scott, Steven Anderson, Tom Cromarty, Phil Anderson and Jack Howe menacing the Hawick attacks, but Hawick kept hitting at the Jed defence hard which paid off when Sam Frizzel broke through to secure Hawick’s third try, successfully converted by Kyle Brunton. 

The score now tight at 21-19 and both squads beginning to tire meant it would come down to the wire. Both squads gave it all they had for the next 15 mins with the only hope of extending the lead coming from a penalty for Jed A which was nudged wide of the posts. 

Full time Score Jed-Forest A 21 – 19 Hawick Force. 

Squads 

Jed-Forest A: Max Purves, Tom Cromarty, Steven Anderson, Jamie Dagg, Kieran Scott, Greg Middlemiss, Jack Howe, Dougie McNeill, Ryan Miller, Elliott Stewart, Kris Rowley, Kyle Grieve, Clark Douglas, Kieran Hayes, Lewis Elder, Jamie Bowie, Nicky Bates, Jack Cowan, Philip Anderson, Michael Weekley, Kyle Amos, Joe Amos 

Hawick Force: Liam Graham, Reece Hartdegan, Craig Richardson, Steven Mabon, Tom Huggan, Robbie Linton, Sam Frizzel, David Lowrie, Mathew King, Kyle Brunton, Cian Riddell, Aaron Redpath, Logan Gordon-Woolley, Liam Lawrence, James Delaney, Andrew Ford, Aaron Fletcher, Ben Swailes, Aiden Fairbairn, Jerome Starkey.  Scorers – Jed-Forest A: Tries: Douglas, Miller, Rowley Con: Miller x 2, Elder. Hawick: Tries: Hartdegan x 2, Frizzel Con: Brunton x 2