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SELKIRK PICK UP FIRST AWAY WIN
AFTER STRONG SECOND HALF SHOWING AT RIVERSIDE PARK
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Joe Anderson goes to
ground, with team-mates Andrew Grant-Suttie, Callum Marshall, Andrew Renwick and Peter Forrest all ready to help.
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Selkirk’s Luke Pettie halts another Jed counter-attack, watched by team-mates Bruce Riddell & Thomas Brown.
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Callum McNeill (partially obscured), tackles a Jed opponent, while Ross Nixon (left) and Ben Pickles are poised
to assist if needed.
[All photos by BILL McBURNIE]
JED-FOREST 9, SELKIRK 21
SELKIRK’S players arrived at Riverside Park on
Friday night determined not to give Jed-Forest the same leeway they had six days previously at Philiphaugh, where
the Royal Blues snatched a dramatic draw in the game’s dying seconds.
In a hotly contested first half, both teams’ defences proved difficult to breach, with the only points of the half
coming from penalties – one from Jed’s Gary Munro, to two by Selkirk fly-half Callum Anderson, giving the visitors
a 6-3 interval lead.
The home team made the livelier start after the break, and another Munro penalty levelled the scores. Selkirk regained
the lead when Ross Nixon capitalised on a drive by the forwards to dive over for the first try of the match.
A third Munro penalty cut the Souters’ lead to 11-9, and soon afterwards Jed were frustrated to have two try-scoring
opportunities were ruled out - referee Michael Todd accidentally impeding Peter Forrest after Nick Stingl had taken
a quick tap to touch down under the posts; then Aidan Bambrick’s touchdown in the corner was brought back for a
forward pass.
With Selkirk’s forwards now beginning to dictate up front, another concerted drive by the visitors’ pack saw hooker
James Bett
score his side’s second try, converted by Scott Clark.
A successful long-range penalty from the boot of Callum Anderson meant there was no way back for the home team,
with the scoreline at the final whistle remaining 21-9 in the Philiphaugh side’s favour.
“In fairness, I thought for periods of the game Jed were better than us,” said Selkirk forwards coach Darren Hoggan
after the match. “However, in the second half our defence in the final third of the field was outstanding, and
denying Jed a score showed this.
“Another big factor was the impact our replacements Jock Renwick, Andrew Grant-Suttie and Joe Anderson made when
they came on with half an hour to go.
“We started to dominate the line-out and scrum, and when Jed began to concede penalties under pressure it helped
take the sting out of the game.
“Overall I though it was a good all-round display,” continued Darren, “with everyone playing their part. However,
I thought Keiran Clark played well at full-back, Peter Forrest and James Bett both had really solid games, and
Callum Marshall again showed what a class rugby player he is.
“The win gives us momentum to take into Saturday’s game against league leaders Currie Chieftains, where our boys
will have to be at their best. Right now there’s a great team spirit in the squad, and I’m confident we can continue
to improve.”
JED-FOREST: L. Young; M. Cullen, Gregor Young, R. Marshall, A. Bambrick; G. Munro, N. Stingl; G. Paxton, F. Scott,
G. Clarkson, D. Wardrop, G. Law, J. Howe, B. Roff, C. Cowan. Replacements: F. Campbell, A. Stewart, A. Sweenie,
E. Lauder, R. Nichol.
SELKIRK: K. Clark; J. Welsh, B. Pickles, R. Nixon, C. McNeill; C. Anderson, J. Hamilton; L. Pettie, J. Bett, B.
Riddell, P. Forrest, T. Brown, C. Marshall, R. Cook, E. MacDougall. Replacements: J. Anderson, A. Renwick, A. Grant-Suttie,
S. Clark, F. Anderson.
Referee: Michael Todd (SRU).
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