Edinburgh Acads 21

Selkirk 26

A FIVE-STAR display saw Selkirk chalk up a hugely impressive victory over high-flying Edinburgh Accies at sunny Raeburn Place on Saturday – the capital’s side’s first home defeat in BT National League 1 this season.

“It was definitely our best performance of the campaign,” Selkirk assistant coach Michael Jaffray told the selkirkrfc.com web site after the match.

“All aspects of our game finally came together – defence, attack, decision-making – with the result that the boys grew in confidence as the contest progressed.

“Unlike against GHA the previous week, our game management was spot-on, so when chances came our way we took them. The effort put in by the whole pack was simply tremendous. We knew that taking on Accies up front would be crucial, and our forwards refused to give an inch.

“Despite having long periods without the ball our defence was rock-solid, and when possession did come our way the players made it count. A lot of Selkirk supporters travelled up today, and it was good to give them plenty to cheer.”

Two Selkirk players have special reason to remember Saturday’s victory. The match saw hooker James Bett make his 100th appearance for the club, while at the other end of the spectrum 18-year-old Selkirk Youth Club captain Josh Mackay came off the bench to make his senior debut for the Philiphaugh team.

Despite making a bright start, Selkirk found themselves 7-0 down inside the first 10 minutes when Accies wing Matt Coupar finished off a sweeping threequarters move to score the afternoon’s first try. Robbie Chalmers added the conversion.

It didn’t take the visitors long to get back on equal turns, with Frazer Anderson diving over in the right-hand corner after some slick interplay between Selkirk’s back and forwards. Ciaran Whyte’s conversion kicked sailed over from the touchline.

With neither side gaining the upper hand in some fierce forward exchanges, Accies regained the lead just before halftime when replacement Connor Weetnam capitalised on quick ball to score the home side’s second try. Chalmers’ successful conversion gave Accies a 14-7 halftime lead.

Selkirk put together a series of impressive drives at the start of the second half, and Ciaran Whyte showed some neat footwork to penetrate the home defensive line and score a try which he also converted.

Ben Appleson restored Accies’ lead with a try converted by Chalmers, but the visitors immediately hit back when wing Tythan Adams demonstrated incredible pace to run round his opposite number and score wide out. Whyte’s conversion levelled the score at 21-21.

In the game’s closing stages both teams went all-out for victory, and it was a piece of brilliant opportunism that swung the game Selkirk’s way.

Tythan Adams took a quick line-out throw to Ciaran Whyte. The full-back found Ian Oosthuizen up in support, and the strong-running flanker broke 30 meters upfield before giving a well-timed offload to Adams. The wing once again turned on the after-burners and sprinted over the line for Selkirk’s bonus point try – his seventh in six appearances for Selkirk.

Although Accies battled hard to get back on level terms, the visitors held their composure to record a memorable and thoroughly deserved win.

Selkirk: C. Whyte, T. Adams, D. Clapperton, R. Nixon, F. Anderson, G. Craig, M. Davies, K. Cooney, J. Bett, C. Graur, A. Renwick, P. Forrest, M. Robertson, I. Oosthuizen, E. MacDougall. Replacements: J. McGowan, J. Mackay, M. Waldron, J. Welsh, C. McEwan.