Manager Scott Dowie said: “It took us time to get into the match but our second half performance was a lot better and we were unlucky not to get something out of the game.” The home side started brightly and midfielder Tom Wyman clipped the outside of the post with right foot shot when the ball came back to him just outside the box after an indirect free kick hit the wall.

Kelso keeper Willie Stewart was then called into action to push away a Wyman shot from 25 yards.

The early pressure paid off for the home side and they went in front after 11 minutes. A good run down the right by Sean Williamson saw him fire a cross ball to the back post and Lauder was on hand to launch a shot into the top corner of the net.

Eyemouth increased their lead nine minutes later when visiting keeper Stewart had a rush of blood coming out to meet oncoming forward Lauder at the left edge of the box and clattering him to the ground. Lauder made no mistake from the spot sending the booked Stewart the wrong way.

A run down the right by Williamson resulted in a good cross to Lauder whose header was tipped over the bar by Stewart The home side kept up the pressure and Lauder should have a hat trick but managed to put his shot past the post having been set up by Gavin Burrell.

Kelso got a goal back a minute from the break when Chris Falconer broke free on the left side of the box and found Liam O’Rourke unmarked in the box to shoot home.

The second period started quietly but the visitors started to crank up the tempo midway through the half. Tweedsider’s central defender Darren Bowie had a shot from the half way line which Eyemouth keeper Adam Mutch had to stretch to tip over the bar.

A good ball on the left by visitors Ryan Beveridge put youngster Joseph Ngoa through on goal but Mutch was equal to the task saving the shot at his near post.

In the dying embers of the game Kelso almost salvaged a draw when Bowie unleashed a shot from 25 yards which was goal bound but Mutch saved well diving to his left to claw the ball away.

Kelso United: W Stewart, D Boyne,J Logan, D McNulty, D Bowie,L O’Rourke, S Bonnington, R Beveridge, B Herdman,C Falconer(S Harker 59), O Benzies ( J Ngoa 80),