Civil Service Strollers 4 - 1 Selkirk

SELKIRK suffered an afternoon of déjà vu on Saturday at Riccarton campus.

Having already endured a South Challenge Cup hammering against Civil last month at Yarrow Park, Garry O’Connor’s team were humbled yet again.

And it was in similar circumstances.

Despite enjoying the lion’s share of possession Selkirk were constantly torn apart on the break.

And the shambolic defence were fortunate to only concede four.

Selkirk coach Scott Dowie told us: “You would have thought we would have learned our lesson after the last game but we made the same mistakes again.

“We all know it isn’t good enough. We play with lots of flare and look great passing the ball about but it comes to nothing and time and time again we caught out with long balls.”

Selkirk were offered a couple of early warnings as Jason Young took full advantage of Connor Handren’s wandering to race in from the right and test Jamie Newman.

Former Dundee United midfielder David Robertson looked like he could swing the game in Selkirk’s favour with surging runs.

The former Scotland Under 20s star crossed for Jamie Butler to head inches wide on the quarter hour.

And some fantastic one-touch football, involving Robertson and Butler, led to Ross Gray shooting narrowly past the far post.

But the inevitable happened on 21 minutes as a swift counter attack was brilliantly finished by Alex Brown.

Just six minutes later another counter attack from their own box saw David Stewart hit the post with the Selkirk defence again posted missing.

Robertson’s early exit with a suspected groin injury was a further blow for the Lowland League team.

But they almost equalised on the half hour as Stuart Burnside made a fantastic finger-tip save to deny Butler.

A breakaway from inside the Civil box led to Kyle Boggie darting in to slot a shot beneath Newman.

Selkirk substitute Michael Collin’s powerful volley was tipped round the post by Burnside on 40 minutes.

And from the resultant corner Strollers stormed up the park for Boggie to make it 3-0.

O’Connor used his remaining two substitutes at the interval.

And for a brief ten minutes they had the home team pinned back with some nice football.

But on 58 minutes Boggie ran onto a long clearance and his saved shot fell for Jordan Finnie to make it 4-0.

Jordan Allan, who signed for Derry City last week, pulled a goal back on 82 minutes.

And the former Morton player forced a fantastic save out of Burnside just two minutes later, but there was never going to be any way back.

Dowie added: “I would imagine that Jordan isn’t the only player who will be leaving over the next few weeks.

“We need to slim down the squad to bring new players in. We are in talks with several players, so expect changes.”

Selkirk. J Newman, C McDiarmid, C Handren (M Samson 46), L McKenzie, S Ritchie, J Harley (F Neave 46), J Butler, D Robertson (M Collin 31), J Allan, R Gray & J Hay.