Gala 19 - 23 Selkirk

STRUGGLING Selkirk scored their first win of the Premiership season this afternoon – after stunning Gala at Netherdale.

The Souters, currently propping up the league, recorded a 19-23 victory over their nearest rivals, just a place above them, to close the gap at the bottom of the table.

And Peter Wright's team had twice as many reasons to celebrate as the game was a Premiership and Border League double header.

Gala, who were missing a number of familiar faces, included Edinburgh prop Allan Dell in their starting line-up, while Selkirk drafted in Dell's clubmates, Jack Cuthbert and Grant Shiels, to beef up their pack.

Gala kicked off the match but it was Selkirk who were first to score. Darren Clapperton touched down under the posts in the 12th minute after Ross Nixon showed him the way through the home guard and Cuthbert added the conversion to make it 0-7.

The Maroons had the chance to close the gap five minutes later when they were awarded a penalty but Craig Dods was wide of target.

Selkirk were reduced to 14 men in the 27th minute when Mikey Davies was shown a yellow card for illegally stopping a Gala attack, five metres from the visitors' try-line.

However, the sides were evened up four minutes later when Callum Rowlandson followed him to the sin-bin following a high tackle on Dashton Wellman.

Two minutes before the interval, Opeta Palepoi pulled a try back for Gala after some great handling in front of the posts, to make the score Gala 5, Selkirk 7. But Craig Dods missed the conversion before Selkirk were restored to full strength.

And it was Selkirk who had the final word in the first half. Davies charged down a Craig Dods clearance kick on his own try line before touching down. Cuthbert's conversion attempt came back off the post to make the score at the interval Gala 5, Selkirk 12.

Selkirk started the second half as they ended the first - on the front foot. Unable to find a gap in the Gala defence, Wellman took a step back and extended the visitors' lead with a drop goal.

And Craig MacDougall piled on the pressure with Selkirk's third try just before the hour mark following a lung-bursting sprint up the wing. But Wellman missed conversion.

Gala were quick to respond with two tries in four minutes, the first from Bell and the second from Josh Irvine, both of which were converted by Craig Dods, to bring the home side within a point of the Souters, with the score Gala 19, Selkirk 20.

But Selkirk dented any hopes of a Gala comeback when Rory Banks added another three points for the visitors after Gala gave away a penalty five minutes from time. And the game finished Gala 19, Selkirk 23.

Gala's only consolation was a losing bonus point and, with the gap at the bottom of the table reduced to seven points, it may yet prove crucial.

Gala: Craig Dods, Graham Speirs, Dwayne Burrows, Frankie Robson, Keith Young, George Graham, Iain Ross; Allan Dell, Matt Carryer, Chris Keen, Callum Rowlandson, Chris Weir, Opeta Palepoi, Gary Adams, Euan Dods. Replacements: Richard Tod, Josh Irvine, Scott Chapman, Daniel Nicholson, Ross Livingston.

Selkirk: Jack Cuthbert, Scott Hendrie, Craig MacDougall, Ross Nixon, Darren Clapperton, Dashton Wellman, Mikey Davies; Grant Sheil, James Bett, Cata Graur, Andrew Renwickm John Everitt, Ewan MacDougall, Max Gordon, Callum Marshall. Replacements: Josh Welsh, Peter Forrest, Lwando Mabenge, Callum Johnson, Fabian Tetart.