Victory in Biggar puts promotion to rugby's Tennent's Premiership within Gala’s reach

The Galashiels side are currently two points ahead of second-placed Heriot’s Blues at the top of Tennent’s National League Division 1, and if they beat the capital outfit at their Netherdale home ground on Saturday, April 16, they’ll be out of reach with one game – away to Dundee the Saturday after – to spare.

That would see them return to Scottish rugby’s top flight outwith the professional game for the first time since their relegation from what was then the BT Premiership in 2017 and join Hawick, Jed-Forest and Selkirk to take the Borders’ representation in the 10-team division up to 40%.

If they slip up, however, the title race will go to the wire with Heriot’s holding the upper hand and even Biggar, seven points behind Gala at the moment, possibly still in the running mathematically.

Gala’s tries in South Lanarkshire were scored by Jack Easson, Craig Dods, Liam Scott and Fergus Johnston, with Dods adding three conversions and a penalty, as they came from behind three times to claim a bonus-point victory.

Robbie Orr, Guy Napier, Conor Lavery and Rowan Stewart touched down for the hosts – a man down for over a third of the match after being shown three yellow cards, resulting in sin-binnings for Ross Jackson, Donald Voas and Jamie Orr – with Ewan Bogle adding three conversions.

"It was a quality bonus-point win for us at Hartree Mill,” Gala fly-half Craig Dods told Borders Rugby TV.

“To a man, the boys were absolutely superb.

“I think the deciding factor at the end was the way we kept our discipline. We put them into the right areas of the pitch, we scored some cracking tries, we took opportunities when we could and we were clinical.

“Biggar are a big side and their defence was superb throughout, so we had to be clinical to get that victory.

“It’s just another step on the road to where we want to go, and we are now fully focused on playing Heriot’s in a couple of weeks’ time.

“That is now a decider. It’s a cup final for us.

“We’ve got two weeks now to prepare for Heriot’s and we’re looking to get that win.”