Burntisland Shipyard 0

Selkirk 1

David Morrison at Recreation Park

BATTLING Burntisland almost provided the proverbial banana skin on Saturday as Selkirk slipped into the second round of the Football Nations Qualifying Cup.

Ian Fergus' team struggled for any fluency on the muddy Rec.

And they also found home keeper Sean Malpas in fine form.

But a solitary Ciaren Chalmers header was enough for the Lowland League side to progress.

Manager Fergus told us: "For one reason or another we never really got going.

"We struggled with the tight park and the soft pitch but that's no excuse, I felt we should still have done better.

"We had more than enough chances today to make it comfortable but we need to be much more lethal in front of goal.

"Credit should go to Burntisland as they worked really hard."

Malpas made a couple of good saves in the opening quarter of an hour as Daryl Healy and Callum Helm looked for an early breakthrough.

But Sean Glancy also had a chance at the other end, only to fire a foot wide of the target.

Selkirk were further denied by a goalline clearance approaching the half hour.

And Healy fired over as the visitors looked to break the deadlock.

The goal arrived on 38 minutes as teenager Ciaren Chalmers found enough space to head home at the back post.

Selkirk should have added at least one more before the break as Malpas made a couple of excellent saves.

Healy was also denied by a goalline clearance and moments later Andrew Fleming headed inches wide of the target.

Just three minutes into the second half Malpas again made an excellent save to block Phil Addison's effort.

And Ryan Sclater shaved the far post with a curling freekick.

Healy was through with only Malpas to beat on 64 minutes but the keeper did well to smother the ball.

Despite the pressure Burntisland were far from out of it.

And Gregor Amos had to be alert to watch a McAuley freekick deflected past the upright.

Selkirk: G Amos, R Sclater, R Donaldson, A Fleming, R King, D Healy, C Chalmers, J Hopkinson, P Addison, C Helm & S McKirdy. Subs: J Keenan, G Hunter, L Turkington, J Williams, C Notely, G Goodfellow.