SELKIRK’S hopes of beating the frost hit rock bottom when their Premiership game against Currie Chieftains on Saturday at Philiphaugh was called off just over an hour before the 3pm kick-off.

And it was a similar story at Netherdale where Gala were hoping to play Stirling County.

Currie arrived at Selkirk's ground in plenty of time, but said that areas of the pitch were not playable.

Groundstaff had worked hard to get the game on, but to play the match was a ‘non-starter’ according to Currie coach Mark Cairns.

He said: “To me, it was never on. Sometimes there are easy calls, others not easy, but this was a ‘no-brainer’.

"It is a pity we had to come all this way for a game that was never on in the first place.

“It is not a cheap day for the club, but that is what it is. We will make a loss and have to come down again. That is disappointing as we do not have massive cash.”

Currie will pay an estimated £500 for the bus as well as for a doctor and physios while stand-off Gregor Hunter had travelled from Glasgow.

Selkirk defended the decision to try and get the game played.

President Dennis Henderson said: “We spent working on the ground for four hours in the morning.

"Our grounds convener, a local farmer, Andy White, had machines up and down the pitch.

"In an hour, the pitch changed from nearly playable, and when the sun got up, we expected it to be playable by three o’clock.

“Unfortunately, Currie decided they did not want to play by half-past one and they said it was too hard.

“The referee (Ross Mabon) has to go by health and safety, which it is nowadays, and then called the game off.”

A win would have taken Currie to the top in the Premiership with the Marr match called off earlier – and next Saturday they are back in the Borders at Hawick.

The Selkirk match is expected to be played on December 21 now.

Stirling County officials also deemed the Netherdale pitch dangerous when they arrived in Galashiels.

Their rescheduled match is also expected to take place before Christmas.