Preston Athletic 0

Selkirk 1

SELKIRK ended their five match losing run on Saturday with a hard-earned victory on the East Lothian coast.

And even more pleasing for manager Steve Forrest was the clean sheet his team kept at the Pennypit.

Forrest told us: "It is a big relief to get the win. To keep a clean sheet is just as satisfying when you think about the number of goals we've leaked in recent weeks.

"We deserved the win today and it could easily have been three or four if we'd taken our chances."

Preston did present their own share of problems early on as Josh McGonigal fired wide with only Jamie Newman to beat.

Midfielder Jack McCue also missed the target as he found space in the Selkirk defence.

But the visitors looked a lot more solid that in recent matches.

Garry O’Connor blasted an effort a couple of feet wide on 27 minutes.

And just three minutes later Jon McInally struck the bar with a neat flick.

Selkirk's winner came just after the break with teenager Kayde Reynolds running onto Ross Gray's pass to rifle a terrific shot past Flockhart.

Preston were far from out of the game but some good keeping from Newman snuffed out the couple of half chances they created.

O'Connor should have sealed the points on 82 minutes but his header came back off the underside of the bar.

Manager Forrest added: "We needed a confidence boost ahead of the Scottish Cup match at Nairn and I think we got it today.

"The boys played a lot better and we are starting to get back towards the level of football we're capable of."

Selkirk: J Newman, M Christie, C McDiarmid, G O’Connor, F Neave, P Grant, J Hay, R Gray, J McInally, K Reynolds & J Harley. Subs: M Samson, S Ritchie, P Addison, C Scott, M Collin.