Selkirk 24

Aberdeen Grammar 44

Atholl Innes

at Philiphaugh

SELKIRK felt the backlash of Aberdeen Grammar’s long trip to Philiphaugh on Saturday as the visitors produced a performance to put the hosts on the defensive for long periods of the game.

The result devastated coach Scott Wight in his first season in charge, as Aberdeen made light of what was a longer journey than expected after a delay on the Edinburgh bypass.

The kick-off was held up by 15 minutes after their coach arrived late due to traffic hold-ups, but they put Selkirk to the sword in a staggering first half of aggression and power which saw them turn round 32-5 ahead.

Selkirk were missing several key players who were attending the wedding of fellow-player Darren Clapperton.

But Wight said that was no excuse for the performance.

He told us: “We did not start the game well. It was as if we had been sitting on the bus.

"There was a lack of a leadership group and did not look after the ball when we had it.

"We were missing boys, but were strong enough as a 15 on the pitch to win the game.

“We gave them too much of a momentum and we had a lack of respect for the ball.

"But we did not front up and it came down to basics.”

Doug Russell’s early score was the base on which they built a strong overall performance.

Scores followed at regular intervals from Sam Knudson, Will Alton and Nat Coe, and Tom Aplin’s conversions and penalty put the visitors out of sight at 32-5 at the interval – a performance not helped by Frazer Anderson’s sin-binning.

Selkirk’s solitary reply was a Ryan Cottrell try from Josh Welsh’s charging break.

A second score from Knudson stretched the lead until Alton was yellow-carded and two tries from Scott McClymont and an Aaron McColm conversion closed the gap, until Aplin scored to seal the win.

Selkirk had to be content with a four-try bonus point when Henry Bithray went over and McColm converted.

Aberdeen head coach Ali O’Connor said: “I was delighted with the performance and the result.

“We had a very good first half, but all credit to Selkirk who came back at us in the second half and gained a bonus point. I was pleased with the way the boys stuck in.”

That was Selkirk’s only consolation after a long afternoon.

Selkirk. R. Cottrell; F. Anderson, J. Welsh, H. Bithray, J. Henry; C. Anderson, Aaron McColm; L. Pettie, J. Bett, B. Riddell, A. Mackay, P. Forrest, Andrew McColm, S. McClymont, H. Borthwick. Replacements: R. Purves, G. Forrest, D. Alexander, L. Berte, L. Morelle.