Selkirk 2
East Kilbride 2

By Callum Hodgson
at Yarrow Park

EXPECT the unexpected.

That should be the tagline of the Lowland League.

And there was yet another unexpected turn on Saturday when the league leaders travelled to Yarrow Park.

Not many teams are given a chance when they face East Kilbride, who have been virtually unstoppable in their quest to get to the SPFL, losing just two games all season.

And it seemed to be business as usual just 12 minutes in when Martin McBride took the lead.

But a top-four like performance by Selkirk managed to stun Martin Lauchlan’s side courtesy of strikes by Unpha Koroma and Ross King either side of half-time which shook Kilby.

But just after the hour mark David Proctor did grab an equaliser for the table-toppers, however Selkirk held their nerve to claim a much-deserved point.

Souters boss Ian Fergus told us: “If players apply themselves right you can fancy yourself against anyone.
“We had little passages of play and went long when we had to and we played to the conditions.

“We’ve drawn quite a few games but the level of opposition has been excellent

“You have to look at how we’ve come on in the last six games since I came in.

“East Kilbride came down here with around 30 players while we had to scrape a team together as we had two players missing... and we could have won that today.”

The South Lanarkshire side started the brightest and issued a warning 10 minutes in when Portuguese star Joao Victoria got the better of Ricky Millar, but couldn’t beat Gregor Amos.

And just two minutes later they took the lead when Adam Strachan dinked a perfectly weighted ball over the defence to Martin McBride who converted with aplomb.

Many teams might have thought it was going to be one of those days. A repeat of August’s 6-0 thrashing at K-Park.

But this is a different Selkirk side with different tactics and newfound optimism.

Andrew Fleming, Murray Christie and Gary Nicholson all came close as they searched for a leveller.

And on 31 minutes they got it. Nicholson played a ball into the box from the left, and Phil Addison knocked it into the path of Koroma who was in a perfect position to fire home.

Then just three minutes into the second half, while most were still enjoying their cuppas, the Souters struck again.

Addison blasted a free-kick from the edge of the box towards goal; keeper Jacob Kean could only parry and King was the quickest to react to put Fergus’ side 2-1 up.

Kilby were stunned. Minutes later they hit the post and Ross McNeil and Strachan both missed chances.

But Selkirk could have buried the game in the 58th minute when Nicholson played a ball to Fraser Neave on the counter attack. He went clear on goal but saw his shot saved by Kean.

But that acted as a wake-up call for East Kilbride. And five minutes later they were level, when McBride’s effort near the edge of the box was turned in by former Inverness defender Proctor.

Soon after, they also appealed for a penalty when the ball seemed to strike Millar’s arm from close range, but the referee waved away the protests. Jordan Hopkinson then saw a long range shot go wide, before Kilby ramped up the pressure.

And seven minutes before the end, substitute Sean Winter played in a ball towards McNeil, but the ball spun up off the bar, giving Selkirk a surprising and deserved point and East Kilbride their first draw of the season.

Border Telegraph man of the match: Ross King

Selkirk: G Amos, R Millar, M Christie, J Harley (C Sheridan 57), R King, A Fleming, P Addison, J Hopkinson, F Neave, U Koroma, G Nicholson (M Collins 80). Subs not used: P Beagley, E Tshibango

East Kilbride: J Kean, B Russell, D Proctor, B Coll (S Winter 56), K Gibbons, C McLeish, R McNeil, A Strachan, J Victoria, M McBride, M Hardie. Subs not used: D Hughes, S Stevenson, G Millar, M McGinley