- Covers down on Thursday night to protect the playing surface from frost, a big turnout from committee and members to clear the pitch on Saturday morning so as to ensure that the game went ahead – Melrose are a club with an admirable sense of purpose.
- Despite losing four key men to the national Under-20s squad, Currie gave high flying Melrose a real run for their money at the Greenyards, which bodes well for their quest to make the Premiership play-offs ahead of Heriot’s – even if there is going to be no dispensation.
- With Hawks destined to lose several of their BT Sport Academy stars to the Under-20s and as cover for the Warriors during the international window, the recent return of powerful ball-carrier Ross Miller from Australia could provide invaluable impetus as we enter the business end of the season.
- Another promising performance from Watsonians but not quite good enough – they are now out the Cup and almost certainly safe from relegation in the league, so don’t have much left to play for – meaning their final few matches in this campaign will be a test of inner-strength and pride in the jersey.
- Peter Wright was pleased with the result but slightly disappointed by Boroughmuir’s performance against Edinburgh Accies – which indicates that there is indeed a significant gap between the Premiership and National One – and leaves Accies with a massive psychological hurdle to negotiate their way past if they do make it into the promotion play-off at the end of the season.
- Stirling fancy their chances in the Cup this year and may just have the core ingredients to mount a real challenge if they can put together a few 80 minute performances.
- Courage and determination will only get you so far if your set-piece does not function, as Dundee High demonstrated on Saturday.
- A long bus journey north to Aberdeen for Ayr, but no danger of losing focus with six unanswered first half tries killing the game as a contest before the break.
- The glory days of the early noughties when Aberdeen Grammar competed in the top half of the Premiership are now a distant memory – the Scottish club game would surely benefit from a stronger presence in the North East.
- Beveridge Park is a tough place to go, and it was a miserable day in Fife, but Heriot’s were professional and clinical and got the job done with minimum fuss – while the Kirkcaldy team deserve plenty credit for their stubborn resistance, as does the club as a whole for producing a bumper crowd and a real cup tie atmosphere.
Image: Craig Watson – www.craigwatson.co.uk