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SELKIRK ‘A’ PLAYERS MAKE POSITIVE
START, BUT MUSSELBURGH HANG TOUGH TO TAKE THE POINTS
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Selkirk’s Matthew Francis
burrows his way over the try line for the Philiphaugh team’s first touchdown.
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Wing Archie Penman gets ready to give Musselburgh 2nds full-back Josh Dickson the slip.
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David Cassidy prepares to pass, with Callum Turnbull and Liam Cassidy in support. [Photos – GRANT KINGHORN PICS]
SELKIRK ‘A’ 15, MUSSELBURGH 2nds
26
PLAYING against the wind in the first half, Selkirk
‘A’ got off to an impressive start in Saturday’s opening Tennent’s East Reserve League Division 1 fixture against
Musselburgh 2nds at Philiphaugh.
The visitors took an early lead thanks to a try by centre Sandy Watt, but tries from Selkirk’s Matthew Francis
and David Cassidy, the latter also adding a conversion and penalty, saw the Souters take a deserved 15-5 halftime
lead.
Hampered by an injury to scrum-half Ryan Legge, who was forced to to leave the field, after the break Selkirk began
to lose their early momentum.
Unforced errors and some changes in personnel appeared to upset the balance of the home side, and Musselburgh’s
more experienced players took full advantage to notch up three further tries through Donald Grant, Greg Leitch
and their impressive number eight Graeme Bowman (all converted by Leitch) to run out 26-15 winners.
After the match Selkirk ‘A’ coach Martin Murray told the selkirkrfc.com website: “We seemed to really get ourselves
up for the first half when playing against the wind, which showed in the amount of possession we had and the way
we dominated territory.
“After the break we knew we were going to kick more, and I think we eased off the pressure and allowed Musselburgh
back into the game.
“As soon as their players’ heads came up it was then very difficult to get a bit of continuity. We also made a
couple of subs which created difficulties in some of our set piece play, meaning we didn’t get enough ball.
“The positives we can take is how we controlled things in the first half, and the way we came back into the game
in the final 10 minutes. I was disappointed in that 30-minute spell, but it’s still early days.”
The Four Seasons ‘Selkirk Man of the Match’ award went to Ross Purves.
SELKIRK ‘A’ – T. Martin, G. Mallin, L. Martin, G. Nichol, A. Penman, D. Cassidy, R. Legge, M. Haldane, R. Purves,
M. Francis, C. Turnbull, J. Turnbull, L. Cassidy, A. Davidson, R. Cook. Replacements: R. Murray, R. MacKessack-Leitch,
D. Broatch, A. Beveridge, R. McFadzen.
MUSSELBURGH 2nds – J. Dickson, B. McLeod, M. Fleming, S. Watt, G. McVean, G. Leitch, A. Reddick, R. Hanning, C.
Fleming, D. Grant, L. Knight, P. Brown, D. Slaven, F. Craig, G. Bowman. Replacements: R. Gregor, J. Crain, E. O’Brien,
C. Bain, R. Armatage, J. Anderson, A. Oatts.
Referee- Darren Fisher (Hawick).
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