SELKIRK marked their return to the Premiership with an opening day defeat to Border rivals Gala.

The home side kicked off the match at Philiphaugh on Saturday.

And they were ahead inside the first minute.

The National League One champions, playing their first top flight match in four years, were awarded a penalty in front of posts with barely 30 seconds on the clock. Cameron Gregory-Ring duly converted to give the home side a 3-0 lead.

However, they only held the lead for six minutes as Gala responded with a try. Craig Robertson scored on the overlap but David O'Hagan missed the conversion to leave the scoreboard at 3-5 to the visitors.

Selkirk should have regained the lead in the 20th minute after Gala were penalised in front of their posts. But Gregory-Ring slotted the spot kick wide.

Gala also had an opportunity to extend their lead in the 33rd minute when they were awarded a penalty midway inside Selkirk's half but O'Hagan was off target.

Both sides were fielding a number of new faces and took some time to find their feet.

But O'Hagan, a familiar face for the Maroons, slotted home a penalty with the final kick of the ball before the interval to make the half-time score Selkirk 3, Gala 8.

Gala started the second half as they finished the first with another score. Graham Speirs dived over in the corner four minutes after the restart but O'Hagan missed the conversion which kept the score pegged at 3-13.

Selkirk then took the game to Gala and were rewarded with their first try of the game in the 51st minute.

After failing to touch down in the far corner, they switched play with the help of new signing Dashton Wellman which set up Lewis MacLennan at the stand-side. But Gregory-Ring missed the conversion, bringing Selkirk back within five points of Gala.

Just as the tempo of the game was being turned up, play was stopped for ten minutes after Cata Geur went down and had to be stretchered off.

Selkirk's task was made that bit harder as Josh Welsh was shown the yellow card shortly after play resumed following a high tackle.

And, three minutes later, Gala capitalised on their extra man when Callum Rowlandson touched down at the side of the posts. O'Hagan added the conversion to make the score 8-20 – and deny Selkirk a losing bonus point.

Alan Emond added another try for Gala - and secured a four try bonus point - three minutes before the end of normal time as the visitors began to dominate. O'Hagan added the conversion.

And then George Graham added a fifth try for Gala deep in injury time before Angus Duckett scored a consolation for Selkirk, neither converted, to make the final score Selkirk 13, Gala 32.

Selkirk: Josh Welsh, Lewis MacLennan, Cameron Gregory-Ring, Craig Macdougall, Salvo Lloret, Dashton Wellman, Mikey Davis; Keiran Cooney, James Bett, Cata Geur, Yaya Hartzenburg, Scott McDonald, Ewen MacDougall (c), Angus Duckett, Callum Marshall. Replacements: Rory Banks, Callum McEwan, Rory Wilson, Damien Byrne, Max Gordon.

Gala: Ruairi Howarth, Graham Speirs, Rex Jeffrey, Alan Emond, Craig Robertson, David O'Hagan, George Graham; Luke Pettie, Matt Carryer, Chris Keen, Craig Borthwick, Callum Rowlandson, Chris Weir, Liam Scott, Kris Mein. Replacements: Richie Todd, Opeta Palepoi, Josh Irvine, Lewis Clarke, Keith Young.