HERIOT’S launched their attempt on a season treble by collecting the first piece of silverware on offer this campaign after a nip-and-tuck Charity Shield match ended with Dale Robertson, the Boroughmuir prop, losing the ball in the final seconds as he drove for what would have been the winning try.
Remembering that Heriot’s had won the BT Premiership last season by converting exactly that kind of opportunity, it was the perfect illustration of how tiny margins make all the difference in these big games, and afterwards, Stevie Lawrie, half the Heriot’s coaching panel, was relieved that they had managed to hold out.
“We played some good stuff in patches and the guys dug in when Boroughmuir fought back,” he said. “There are still a lot of things to work on, but with a number of new players in the squad and it still being early in the campaign there were some big plus points. Obviously the boys will always remember winning a trophy at BT Murrayfield.”
Boroughmuir, who qualified for the game by winning the BT Cup, had their heroes as well. Jordan Edmunds, the wing, and Sean Crombie, the replacement hooker, both collecting two tries apiece as they never allowed Heriot’s to pull clear.
Early penalties from Chris Laidlaw for Boroughmuir and John Semple for Heriot’s left the league winners marginally ahead before Liam Steele, the Heriot’s centre, opened the try-scoring, latching onto a neat offload from Semple.
With Edmunds collecting his first, however, there was only three points between the sides at the break.
Michael Liness, the hooker, edged Heriot’s further ahead, touching down at the back of a maul, but they were hauled back, with Crombie smashing over from short range after a series of scrums. In fact, Boroughmuir even managed to take the lead with Edmunds’ second, a move he started and finished, but they couldn’t hold it as Charlie Simpson, the replacement Heriot’s wing, finished a classy move.
Heriot’s got the cushion they needed when Iain Wilson, who had come on at flanker, finished another Simpson break, but were hauled back when Crombie showed a good turn of pace down the wing to bring his side back to within three points.
There was time left for Boroughmuir to launch a last-ditch assault on the opposition line, rejecting a penalty that might have levelled the scores to go for a try. With the backs looking at a five-three overlap outside they tried again through the forwards and paid the price when Robertson had the ball knocked out of his hands, to the relief of Heriot’s.
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