Storming finish by The Borders

The Borders 40 Connacht 29Connacht's 100 per cent record against The Borders this season was sent crashing in Netherdale last night when a resurgent Scottish outfit claimed the honours with a strong final quarter display.

Having notched their biggest winning margin this season against The Borders with a five-tally in Galway earlier this season, this was a most disappointing result, particularly on the back of a poor recent run of Celtic League matches from which their return has been just three points from a possible 15.

Connacht had recovered from a poor start to take a stranglehold on the game, opening up a 10-point lead by the 53rd minute. But once again they let it slip against a determined Borders side desperate to notch their first win over Connacht in two seasons and lift themselves from the bottom of the league table.

The Scottish oufit posted 24 points to Connacht's three in the last quarter, depriving them of even of bonus point when outhalf Tanner Vili crosssed for an 80th minute try, which he converted. And although Shane Moore looked to have touched down with a late effort, which would have secured the vital point, referee Paul Adams brought play back to re-award a Connacht penalty.

For the first 10 minutes of the second half Connacht dominated and when Bracken was rewarded with a try for an imposing peformance, followed by McHugh's conversion, Connacht had stretched the lead to 16-26. But The Borders' lock Scott McLeod was awarded a try on the intervention of the touchjudge after referee Adams had initially ruled a knock-on. They went on to claim a third try when Jono Stuart slipped through on 70 minutes.

SCORING SEQUENCE: 2mins: Moir try, Vili conversion, 7-0; 6: Vili penalty, 10-0; 8: Vili penalty, 13-0; 9: McHugh penalty 13-3; 22: Vili penalty, 16-3; 37: McPhillips try, McHugh conversion, 16-10; 42: McHugh penalty 16-13; 41: McHugh penalty, 16-16; 48: Bracken try, McHugh conversion 16-23; 53: McHugh penalty, 16-26; 59: MacLeod try, Vili conversion, 23-26; 62: McHugh penalty 23-29; 70: Stuart try, Vili conversion 30-29; 80: Vili try and conversion, 37-29; 83: Vili penalty, 40- 29.

THE BORDERS: C Murray; N Walker, J Stuart; K Utterson, C Moir, Tanner Vili, Gary Armstrong; C Dunlea, S Scott, G Cross, S MacLeod, C Stewart, A Rennick, D Kane, Semo Sititi. Replacements: K Todd for Sititi (64), I Farley for Armstrong (69), D Weir for Stewart (71).

CONNACHT: M McHugh; C McPhillips, S Moore; T Allnutt, W Munn, D Hewitt, M Walls, D McFarland; J Fogarty, P Bracken, D Browne, A Farley, M Swift, M Lacey, J O'Sullivan. Replacements: E Elwood for Hewitt (63), J Muldoon for Swift (64), A Clarke for Bracken (69), C O'Loughlin for Walls (77), C Short for Browne (80). Yellow cards: S Sititi (33).

Referee: Paul Adams (Wales).