Selkirk 1

Edinburgh City 2

Kenny Paterson at Yarrow Park

THERE were two moments on Saturday which epitomised why Edinburgh City are on the verge of their second successive Lowland League title.

The first was City’s winner as Mark McConnell fought past Selkirk’s defence to slide the ball into the net.

And the second arrived in the final seconds of the game as centre halves Frazer Paterson and Joe Mbu dived at the feet of Kerr Scott as the Souters’ sub appeared certain to score from less than six yards out.

City manager Gary Jardine used the phrase ‘desire and determination’ repeatedly after the game to praise his side’s victory in horrendous conditions.

But Selkirk boss Garry O’Connor was also ruing his luck.

Key pair Garry Kenneth and Bayan Fenwick were both unavailable while O’Connor – who was also injured – felt both the visitors’ goals were offside.

He said: “It is fine margins but these decisions are killing us at the moment.

“Aside from a ten minute spell, I felt we were the better team throughout the game. That has been the case in last few weeks but we are not getting the reward we deserve.

“But we need to be more consistent. We cannot just play well against the top teams, we need to do it against everyone.”

Selkirk matched City for the majority of this action-filled 90 minutes, with Jamie Pyper, Scott Ritchie, Phil Addison and keeper Jamie Newman the stand-out performers.

Ritchie was utilised in front of the Selkirk back four, and linked up well with right back Pyper and front man Addison.

Addison’s superb run and cross set up Pyper midway through the first half but the former Cowdenbeath man sliced his shot wide, before Addison did the same from James Harley’s good pass.

But it was the Citizens who took the lead on 24 minutes when John Dunn latched onto a long ball and produced a calm finish past Newman, although O’Connor’s claim that Dunn was offside looked valid.

Allum, who has banged in goals for fun this season, then produced a miss to almost match Hibs striker Jason Cummings’ effort at Raith Rovers, slamming the ball over from eight yards.

And another glaring mistake at the other end pulled Selkirk level ten minutes before half time. Pyper did brilliantly to make his way to the byline and his deep cross was volleyed in by Hibs loanee Aaron Dunsmore for an own goal.

Allum had another bad miss after the break but he was then unlucky to see Newman produce a good save.

Newman made an even better instinctive stop to palm over Paterson’s close range header but City finally found a way past the Selkirk stopper on 63 minutes.

Allum collected the ball on the edge of the area and fired a shot which Newman saved, only for McConnell to fire home the rebound.

Selkirk kept fighting and Gordon Donaldson had to kick the ball off his own line from an Addison corner.

Allum then rounded Newman and scored to apparently seal the game with five minutes to go, only for referee Duncan Smith to rule the striker to be offside after a long discussion with his linesman.

Newman had another fine stop from sub Grant Vanson’s deflected effort, before Kerr Scott was denied in the 95th minute by Paterson and Mbu’s heroics.

O’Connor added: “We have been preparing for next season for the past six or seven weeks, and the aim is to challenge the likes of City next season for silverware.”

Selkirk: J. Newman, J. Pyper, M. Christie, J. Harley, C. McDiarmid, S. Ritchie, J. Butler, D. Robertson (K. Scott 88), R. King, M. Collin (M. Samson 71), P. Addison.