Selkirk 0

Linlithgow Rose 3

David Knox at Yarrow Park

FURIOUS Selkirk manager Garry O’Connor believes referee Calum Scott cost his side a place in the second round of the Scottish Cup.

The whistler awarded Linlithgow Rose a crucial penalty and also sent off home defender Mark Samson during a controversial start to the second half.

And a short time later he chalked off Ricky Miller’s goal as 10-man Selkirk attempted a comeback.

O’Connor said: “The players should keep their heads high as we were better than them today. It was the referee’s decisions that beat us.

“I’ve been in the game too long not to know the laws and I’ve been at all the recent meetings regarding rule changes, so I know when referees make mistakes.

“The decisions against us today were wrong – there was no penalty, no red card offence and we had a perfectly good goal disallowed.

“The referee’s decisions killed us today.”

While much of the frustration and anger was vented towards the man in black at the end of the game, it was a man in yellow who ultimately prevented Selkirk taking a Junior scalp for the first time.

Keeper Darren Hill produced two remarkable saves in the first half to deny Phil Addison and Jay Doyle.

The former Falkirk keeper also made a good stop to keep out Dale Baxter’s powerful shot as Selkirk opened up the Rose defence during the first half.

Linlithgow had enjoyed plenty possession during the 45 minutes, but the only real save Mark Wilson made was from a Graham Weir shot just before the interval.

The tie was won and lost in the second minute of the second half.

Samson appeared to foul Blair Batchelor on the edge of the box and a second attempt by the defender to reach the ball saw the midfielder tumble inside the area.

A red card was produced and Tommy Coyne tucked away the penalty.

While the opener was on the controversial side, Rose’s second just six minutes later was a delight for the large travelling support.

A low corner was perfectly steered into the far corner by Coyne from 15 yards out.

Despite being two goals and a man down Selkirk responded with an all-out attack.

Miller appeared to have pulled a goal back on 58 minutes as he headed a deflected freekick over Hill, but he was wrongly judged to have been offside, having run past the Rose wall to get onto the ball.

Hill produced a remarkable fingertip save to deny Addison just three minutes later.

A James Harley header was cleared off the line as the half wore on, and O’Connor, who came off the bench, also blasted a shot inches wide of the target.

Selkirk had their own penalty claim on 75 minutes as the impressive Jordan Neil was chopped down – but a freekick was awarded on the edge of the area.

And Addison watched in horror as his chip from 25 yards fell on the wrong side of the post.

Rose continued to look dangerous on the break with Wilson regularly called into action as well.

And the tie was settled on 78 minutes as substitute Kevin Kelbie found enough space to side foot beyond the home keeper for a third.

Selkirk. M Wilson, M Samson, M Christie, J Harley, A Fleming, R Miller, R King, D Baxter (J Neil 72), J Doyle (M Collin 75), G McCormack (G O’Connor 66) & P Addison.