Selkirk 13

Currie Chieftains 11

Atholl Innes

at Philiphaugh

SELKIRK produced an amazing fightback at Philiphaugh with a winning performance that was a fitting tribute to the club’s late President Gus Boag, who died suddenly after the Premiership match against Hawick.

There was a minute’s silence for Gus ahead of the kick-off in a game which looked beyond Selkirk for long spells as they trailed 3-8 and then 3-11.

But two quick tries turned the tide in the second half.

Currie Chieftains looked shocked, and as the game ran into seven minutes of injury time, as the hosts’ determination and resilience proved decisive as the visitors battled unsuccessfully for consolation.

It was not to be as the two scores inspired Selkirk, who finished the stronger side on an extremely heavy pitch.

The forwards dug deep in defence when the game ran into injury and the score could have been more if Selkirk had kicked their conversions and rued missed penalty attempts.

Selkirk coach Scott Wight said that it was the perfect Christmas present for the club.

He told us: “We asked for a performance and we got it. I thought from one to 22 it was the best performance of the season.

"And the way we held them out and never gave away a penalty was tremendous. We can go on and enjoy Christmas and New Year now."

The visitors’ strength showed after nine minutes when a cross-field move released Archie McLean for the opening try, but Gregor Hunter’s conversion fell short.

Cameron Meager threatened with a break down the right, but the home cover got back.

It was a tough battle in the conditions and Hunter extended the lead with a penalty in 26 minutes.

However, Selkirk regained the initiative despite losing Donald Nichol with an apparent shoulder injury, to be replaced by Bruce Riddell.

They won a series of penalties on the Currie line without success, once being held up, but Aaron McColm kicked a penalty to see Currie turn round 8-3 ahead.

There were mistakes on both sides as the heavy conditions took their toll, but Hunter kicked a second penalty to stretch his side’s lead.

Selkirk were forced back in defence, and when they did gain momentum, knock-ons gave away possession.

However, it was game on when Scott McClymont was driven over as the pack took control and two minutes later Henry Bithray won the race to touch down to give Selkirk the lead for the first time, but McColm’s conversion came back off the post.

McColm then missed a penalty, but Selkirk defended bravely to clinch the game in the seventh minute of injury time to end 2019 on a high and a play-off place very much in contention.

Selkirk: H. Bithray; J. Welsh, J. Henry, R. Nixon, L. Berte; A. McColm, L. Merolle; L. Pettie, J. Bett, S. Rankin, P. Forrest D. Nichol, J. Mackay, E. Macdougall, S. McClymont. Replacements: B. Riddell, G. Forrest, C. Anderson, R. Cottrell, C. McNeill.