Published: Wednesday, 14th May, 2008 09:00
Selkirk round off a fantastic season
By Atholl Innes at Poynder Park
Comments (0)
Print Article
Selkirk celebrate their success in the BSPC Border League final last night at Poynder Park.
Pic by: John Robertson
SELKIRK completed the icing on a very tasty Philiphaugh cake as they added the BSPC Border League championship to their Kings of the Sevens title and promotion to Premiership 1 in a cracking game on Monday night.
Emotions ran high as the Souters took the Border League for the first time in 56 years – when president George Thomson was just a wee boy.
And one of the surviving members of that team in 1952, when Selkirk beat Gala, Jim Inglis cheered as loud as any as Neil Darling stepped up to receive the cup from Border League president John Davidson.
“It’s just fantastic, the end of a great season. The boys have been terrific,” said Darling.
“It has been a long wait, but as I have said before, the players have given me 100 per cent and training in every match. It has been a huge effort…unbelieveable.
“We showed blood and guts to win this one and I am so pleased for everyone at the club, committee, coaches, players and supporters.
“But all credit to Jed, who gave us a real fight.”
A year ago Selkirk just pulled away at the end to escape relegation. One year on, the little Borders town has shown that the club game is alive and kicking furiously.
Thomson said: “I am so proud to be president in this year, so much to remember and so much to treasure. This was the icing on the cake for us.”
In a fantastic game, which was more than a showcase for Borders rugby – but the Scottish club game, Selkirk won the try-count 3-0. But the Souters were equally strong in defence as they were in attack.
Referee Iain Heard had to add on six minutes of injury time as the effects of a long hard season and a tough final took its toll on tired limbs and weary bodies. There were players out on their feet – and all had set an example for our club game.
The SRU may have taken the pro heart out of Scottish rugby – but you cannot take the heart out of the Borders players – and this a game played with a passion and spirit which personifies the game south of the Forth.
Maybe the Borders should, as one Selkirk stalwart told me, ‘close the gates at Soutra’ and go it alone.
It would be unfair to single out players on either side in this terrific contest – there was 100 per cent commitment in a match that flowed from end to end from the first whistle.
Selkirk had the cutting edge which Jed just lacked, but the Riverside men never believed that the game was over until the 86th minute.
Jed drew first blood in three minutes when Seb Trotter kicked a penalty after Selkirk had been penalised at a ruck.
The game roared from end to end. A searing run by Gary Hill and an equally powerful run from Robert Hogg threatened, but Jed lacked the penetration to beat the Selkirk line.
And it was Selkirk who opened the try-scoring in 18 minutes. Rory Aglen was poised to go over when he slipped 10 yards short of the line. But when the ball was recycled Ross Armstrong ran in for the score.
It was Armstrong again in 31 minutes from a delightful crossfield kick from Scott Tomlinson behind the Jed defence and the centre had time to gather and score. David Cassidy converted.
Trotter cut the deficit with his second penalty after Selkirk were penalised again, this time for not releasing the ball. But the joy was shortlived as, from the kick-off, Gavin Craig gathered and sent Fraser Harkness over - and again Cassidy converted from the touchline.
The big crowd anticipated more in the second half, but all the scoring was confined to a second Trotter penalty.
Selkirk had to be on their guard to keep their line intact, and Jed twice threatened deep into injury.
And as the final whistle blew, the whole of Selkirk, who seemed to at the game judging by the cars heading back up the road, leapt with joy.
“It was like this back in 1952,” said ‘Basher’ Inglis. “Everybody on the field, everyone hugging each other. The Border League means so much to us Borderers.”
It was a match to mark the best of Borders rugby on and off the field – played in a sporting manner and winning the plaudits from both lots of fans.
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon
Further Details
Tongue-tied 'Rose need to get talking