Border Telegraph | Sport | Yarrow Park Cup battle was a cracker

Friday, 5th December, 2008

Published: Friday, 19th October, 2007 10:30

Yarrow Park Cup battle was a cracker

By David Knox

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IF only games were as good as this every week.

Selkirk edged into the second round of the Image Printers Cup after an almighty battle with Peebles at Yarrow Park.

Both teams entertained with enjoyable flowing football that is rare to find at any level of the game.

But there had to be a winner and it was Fraser Lothian’s team who just shaded the added half hour to book their place in the next round.

The Selkirk boss was delighted. He said: “Peebles are a really good team but we matched them all over the park.

“We had a few injuries today and I think Peebles were the same but the boys who came in didn’t disappoint. It was a brilliant game of football and I’m just delighted we came out on top.”

Craig Livingstone put the home team in front with a close range header on 10 minutes.

But even before the opener John Dodds saved spectacularly from Scott Devlin and Ryan Pritchard crashed an angled shot against the post.

It was a pulsating match with both teams throwing players forward at every opportunity.

Mark Brown should maybe have hit the target on 15 minutes when he side-footed past John Dodd’s post.

But Livingstone also narrowly missed the target at the other end after

Ian Potts threaded him through.

Dodds pulled off several good saves to prevent the Kerr Dodds and Scott Devlin grabbing equalisers.

But it was Selkirk who should have scored again just before the break.

Chris Anderson was tripped by Gavin Tainsh as he weaved his way into the box – but Alan Jackson fired the penalty round the wrong side of the post.

And seconds later a Livingstone looping header was cleared off the line by Kerr Dodds.

The breathtaking attacks continued after the interval with Darren Walker saving brilliantly from Stuart Anderson before Dodds at the other end palmed away a Paul Devlin effort.

The outstanding Michael Moffat clattered the cross bar on 63 minutes as Peebles began to get on top.

But Selkirk still looked dangerous on the break with Gary McShane being denied by the fully stretched Walker.

Just when it looked as though the home team had done enough to win the tie Mark Brown sneaked in on 89 minutes to slot the ball beyond Dodds for the equaliser.

Stuart Anderson still had a chance to win the game for Selkirk in the third minute of injury time but he blasted the ball against Walker’s legs.

The towering joiner’s disappointment was quickly forgotten as he climbed above the defence to head Chris Anderson’s corner into the net during the first half of extra time.

Even in the added half hour both teams charged forward at any given chance.

But in the end it was Selkirk who emerged winners.

Peebles boss Mark Lamb was full of praise for both sets of players. He said: “If we had taken our chances we would have won but I’m not taking anything away from Selkirk.

“That must have been a great game for any neutral that was here.”

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