Banks of Dee 2

Selkirk 0

David Knox at Spain Park

AGE caught up with Selkirk on Saturday as they crashed out of the Scottish Cup in Aberdeen.

Ian Fergus was already without five of his more senior players for the second round clash against Banks of Dee.

And an injury to influential captain Ricky Miller midway through the first half left the Yarrow Park club with no fewer than seven teenagers on the park.

Two goals in the closing 20 minutes secured the win for the Northern junior champions.

Selkirk manager Fergus said: “We had too many young boys today and the lack of experience was what probably cost us.

“Saying that, we still hit the woodwork twice and they only scored the decisive second goal after we’d thrown players forward to salvage something and left gaps at the back.

“It’s bitterly disappointing to go out at this stage as we had a good opportunity to make history and reach the third round for the first time.”

A tremendous tackle from Andrew Fleming prevented the ever-dangerous Jack Henderson from firing at goal from 15 yards as Dee opened brightly.

But Selkirk settled quickly and began to dictate play for periods of the first half.

Fleming headed a Jordan Hopkinson corner just a foot wide after eight minutes.

And a few minutes later Miller clattered the underside of the bar with a header from Ryan Sclater’s freekick.

There were appeals that the ball had crossed the line before bouncing out but referee Stephen Graham waved play on.

Dee continued to look dangerous from the right with Henderson whipping in several threatening crosses.

From one of his balls into the area Sclater was forced to clear off the line during a goalmouth scramble.

Miller hobbled off midway through the half with an ankle injury – and the reshuffle saw 17-year-old Ciaren Chalmers join 18-year-old Fleming at the heart of the Selkirk defence.

Despite the set-back the visitors continued to look the most likely to break the deadlock as half time approached.

David Banjo rifled a shot a foot over, Calum Helm had his effort blocked in front of goal and Hopkinson shaved the post with an angled low shot.

A tremendous cross from Phil Addison at the start of the second half was steered against the post by Helm as Selkirk searched for the all-important opener.

But the junior hosts, who had won their preceding ten matches, also hit the woodwork twice in the space of five minutes around the hour as the game began to open up.

Henderson’s effort on 59 minutes hit the knee of team-mate Jamie Watt and clipped the bar on its way over.

Liam McCall went even closer just a few minutes later as his shot from inside the area rebounded back off the underside of the bar.

Dee eventually scored on 70 minutes as a corner fell to Watt and the veteran striker steered the ball beyond Gregor Amos.

Fergus threw Chalmers up front to support his front duo – but the salvage mission backfired as Dee took advantage of the space on 77 minutes with Alan White scoring from 12 yards out.

Selkirk did battle to the end but the closest they came was David Brown’s cut back which caught under the feet of Addison in front of goal.

Fergus added: “In the end it looked as though we were playing our Under 20s team.

“They were bigger and more physical than us and in the end that’s what won it for them.”

Selkirk. G Amos, R Sclater, R Donaldson, A Fleming, R Miller (R King 19), C Chalmers, J Hopkinson (L Turkington 77), P Addison, D Banjo (D Brown 79), C Helm & S McKirdy