Haddington fall to narrow defeat at battling St Boswells

HADDINGTON fell at the hands of newly-promoted St Boswells in the Borders on Saturday.

The Reds were without the injured Mark Renton and unavailable Ben Laing from the pack, where Quinton Caulfield returned in the second row.

Summer arrival Callum Low and veteran Mark Morrison were also included in the squad, both on the bench.

St Boswells struck first as David Cassidy went over for the first try of the day – Michael McVie's conversion giving them a seven-point lead.

Stand-off Gareth Pritchard then got Haddington on the board with a penalty, before James Ferguson was sent to the sin-bin – the full-back paying the price for a host of infringements by the visitors.

McVie kicked a penalty to extend the hosts' advantage, and they led 10-3 at the interval.

A rejuvenated Haddington side appeared after the break, and flying winger Kyle Adams used his pace to score their first league try of the season.

Pritchard converted to level the scores, only for McVie to kick the hosts in front once more with another penalty.

Adams grabbed his second try of the afternoon, following up good work by the pack who had piled the pressure on St Boswells' half-backs and charged down two clearance kicks.

That allowed the ball to be worked wide, and Adams went over.

Pritchard again converted, before a second yellow card for the county side – back-row Jonny Riddell sent to the sin-bin this time, for a late tackle.

The Borders outfit enjoyed the majority of possession late on, and after several phases near the Reds line, Callum McNeil went over for the decisive score.

McVie converted, and St Boswells ran down the clock to record victory.

Haddington will hope to bounce back at Neilson Park on Saturday, with Highland the visitors.

Haddington: J Ferguson, K Adams, K Hamilton, L Clutton, A Durkin, G Pritchard, J Hamilton; M Dunlop, K Munro, G Cockburn, H Hamilton, Q Caulfield, J Riddell, K Paterson, C Stuart