LANGHOLM COLTS 5 points, DUNS COLTS 41 points.

Duns Colts took the long and winding road to Dumfriesshire on saturday to take on Langhom Colts in the opening fixture of the season in the Scottish Borders Semi-Junior League.

The referee was unhappy with the condition of the reserve pitch, and gave instructions that the match should be moved to the First XV pitch at Milntown. The wide open spaces of the big park undoubtedly suited Duns, who got the ball to the wings whenever possible.

It took the visitors a while to settle, particularly at the set piece where Langholm had some huge forwards. However, once they got into their stride Duns took control of the match and had scored four unconverted tries by half time to lead 20 - nil.

In the forwards, the back row of Lewis Craik, Steven Markby and Scott MacEachen were all excellent, and hooker Patrick Watson lead the team by example. In the backs, the centre pairing of Steven Patterson and Iain Sim were hard and straight runners, but all 21 in the squad played their part in a fine all-round team performance.

Scott MacEachen opened the scoring after only 6 minutes, and he added his second after half an hour. Between these, Iain Sim scored the first of his hat-trick and just before half time full back Ewan Fleming scored after a flowing backs move. Because all four tries were scored in the corners all four conversions drifted wide into the strong breeze.

After half time the wind seemed to drop, but there was no let-up in the tempo of the match. As Duns shifted the ball at every opportunity the big Langholm pack tired and the try scoring resumed. Steven Patterson scored between the posts, converted by Dom Ginn, to put the match out of sight at 27 - nil, and Duns then began to ring the changes as their bench were all given an opportunity for some game time.

Tries six and seven were both scored by Iain Sim, the first converted by Dom Ginn and the second converted excellently from the touchline by Lewis Craik.

To their credit, the Langholm squad never gave up and they finished the match the stronger. They were rewarded for their never-say-die attitude with a try in the closing minutes, but the afternoon belonged to Duns and the league season has been kicked off in the best possible manner.

This saturday the Colts entertain Tynedale Colts at the new Berwickshire High School pitches - kick off is at 3 pm.

The Duns team at Langholm was :- Ewan Fleming; Rob White, Iain Sim, Steven Patterson and Lloyd Thomas; Dom Ginn and James Thomson; Dylan Renton, Patrick Watson ( captain ), Elliot Paxton, Chris Browne, Angus Webster, Lewis Craik, Steven Markby and Scott MacEachen. The replacements were Wesley Hurst, Callum Redden, Andrew Sanderson, ryan glennie, Angus Baker and Jack Clayworth.