Border Telegraph | Sport | Selkirk on top in mud battle

Friday, 5th December, 2008

Published: Wednesday, 12th March, 2008 10:00

Selkirk on top in mud battle

By Atholl Innes

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Selkirk 12, Gala 3

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MUD GLORIOUS MUD. Selkirk and Gala players battle it out at Philiphaugh on Saturday.

Pic by: Alwyn Johnston

THE biggest talking point was not just Selkirk’s win nor Gala’s failure to build on their win over Hawick two weeks previously.

But the fact that the game had gone ahead after a spell of torrential rain had turned the field into a quagmire.

Referee John Steele, from Dumfries, agreed that with the players on the field warming-up, there was no point in calling a halt unless the weather deteriorated any more.

And Selkirk made the best of the elements with a storming performance that kept their BSPC Border League hopes alive despite more important missions in the rest of the month.

A try in the first half against the wind and a second immediately after the interval sealed the win for Selkirk, but Gala played a lot of good rugby in the difficult conditions without threatening to break the home defence except for a penalty by Andy McLean.

There were notable performances in both camps and the commitment was total from all the players, who emerged with much

credit for making the game entertaining, if short of quality.

The two Frasers, Thomson for Gala and Harkness for Selkirk, posed the main threats in attack; Gavin Craig held the line well and kicked with authority, and two kicks into the corner for the winger to run on instead found hooker Ian Walling on both occasions!

Inevitably, however, the packs dominated, Eddie Gauche and Neil Darling taking the plaudits for Selkirk with the Weir brothers just shading the others in the Gala eight.

It was a win that delighted Selkirk coach Rodney Pow, but more importantly, he added: “We have no injuries and that is the best news with a cup game coming up against Haddington and then the two crunch league matches.

“But all credit to Gala. They came here and gave us a real game and played some good rugby in the second half.”

Gala’s coaches, Richie Gray and Gary Parker, were absent – Murrayfield perhaps? – but they would be disappointed to miss a Border League final place – at least for the time being.

Gala used the wind well in the first half with Fraser Thomson launching big kicks downfield and keeping Selkirk on the back foot.

However, Selkirk were a threat on the counter-attack, particularly through Fraser Harkness, who did well to keep his feet on the tacky surface, and the full back seemed to have set up the opening try in 13 minutes.

But his pass to Ross Nixon, who went over the line close to the right-hand, was adjudged by the touch judge to be knocked forward and score disallowed.

However, the score was not delayed. Gala lost the scrum and Ross Armstrong squeezed through the gap to give his side a 5-0 lead.

While Gala had the wind advantage as heavy showers flooded down from the Yarrow Valley, it was Selkirk who threatened most and were satisfied with their lead at half-time.

And within three minutes of the restart, Selkirk had stretched that lead to 12-0. A forwards’ drive in the right-hand corner saw the pack driven over and Martin Murray, who had replaced Alan McDowall, came up with the ball. David Cassidy converted.

Gala fought back with determined doggedness and won a series of penalties, McLean having the only option in the conditions to kick for the corner.

But when referee Steele awarded yet another in front of the posts, the No.10 made no mistake with a clean kick.

Mistakes were inevitable as both sides tried to keep the game open.

Selkirk’s work at close quarter was immense while Gala, although penned in their own half for long spells, did try to make ground without looking like breaking the back line.

And as the players and referee headed for the changing rooms, the sun came out, if only briefly.

There had been more damage to the pitch than limb and body.

Selkirk: F. Harkness; R. Nixon, D. Cassidy, R. Armstrong, G. Blair; G. Craig, M. McVie; G. Patterson, I. Walling, A.McDowall, R. Aglen, E. Gauche, N. Darling, D. Gray, S. Tomlinson. Subs: M. Murray, J. Hendrie, C. Johnston, K. Connor.

Gala: F. Thomson; L. Kibble, S. Chapman, J.O’Neill, S. Law; A. McLean, I. Ross; Martin Chrystie, Mike Christie, C. Hogg, C. Weir, D. Marshall, G. Bryce, G. Brown, T. Weir. Subs: M. Kibble, L. Roden, B. Murray, R. Lindsay.

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