Selkirk trailed 8-21 at the interval before Rugby Director, Cameron Cochrane, suggested to coach Peter Wright that the club should bring on Rory Banks…and he proved a match-winner with almost the final kick of the match, keeping the club unbeaten league record intact.

“I felt that we needed physicality and direction. Banks came off the bench and has the guts to kick goals. It paid off and we now have a bit of competition in the league, and can change the game to suit,” said Cochrane.

Banks kicked three penalties. “They may have looked easy penalties, but in the context of the game, they were difficult,” Wright added.

Selkirk were fortunate that Harry Millar missed two penalties for the visitors within his range and Selkirk were able to gather pace and exuberance playing down the slope after the interval.

Wright went on: “At half-time it was going to take a magnificent effort. It showed determination, desire, and we got back into it in the second half after too many errors in the first 40 minutes.

“We had to battle away and just had enough in the tank to take us over the line. That was our toughest game so far.” Wright summed up the New Year. “Great thing for me now is that we have three weeks of a break and the boys can chill out and relax. Winning was vital for us and it shows that even in adversity, we still have the quality and the ability to come back.

“That’s the measure of the team…the spirit is fantastic, you cannot say enough good things about them. Players can be frustrating, but we earned the right to win the game by the way we played in the second half.” Josh Welsh and Harry Millar exchanged early penalties before Millar kicked a second penalty and Roanan Joy crossed for a try. Millar added one more penalty.

Selkirk were back on course with an Angus Duckett try from a line-out move, only to be outdone by Jonny Petty’s score after a series of errors and Millar’s conversion for a comfortable interval lead.

Josh Welsh’s try in the right corner immediately after the break lifted Selkirk hopes and they continued to dominate, getting back on an even keel with the pack, and Banks, who had replaced Welsh, banged over a penalty with Matt O’Sullivan sent to the sin-bin.

And it was Banks who kept his cool to strike two more penalties as referee Martin Hose blew the final whistle and Dundee were left pointless in the second half.

Selkirk: J. Welsh; S. Hendrie, L. MacLennan, R. Nixon, D. Clapperton; C. McColm, M. Davies; K. Cooney, J. Bett, C. Graur, M. Kissock, J. McGowan, C. Willemse, A. Duckett, C. Marshall. Replacements: R. Banks, G. Patterson, B. Riddell, M. Utteridge, R. Wilson.