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Selkirk ‘A’ show true colours
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BUMP AND GRIND. The
Perthshire and Selkirk ‘A’ front rows prepare to do
battle in Saturday’s promotion blockbuster at North Inch.
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SATURDAY’S match at North Inch was a do-or-die
affair for Selkirk ‘A’, as anything less than victory would see Perthshire win promotion to Division Three of the
National 2nd XV League. As it was, the Philiphaugh men turned in their gutsiest display of the season, taming the
fired-up home team by matching their aggression and commitment every step of the way, thereby ensuring the promotion
race will go right down to the wire.
In what was a superb team effort, the strength and work rate of lock Robert Conway earned him the ‘Man of the Match’
award, even though both he and Darren Hulme earned yellow cards for letting their aggressive instincts get the
better of them in the heat of battle. Two early breaks by David Cassidy set the tone for the match, but sadly a
reoccurrence of an ankle injury saw the full-back limp to the touchline after just 12 minutes, his place being
taken by Darren Hulme.
Selkirk got the breakthrough they had been looking for when fly-half Tim Cove sliced open the home defence for
a try, after a quickly taken tap penalty had seen skipper Bryan Hoggan make good ground up the centre of the field.
Soon afterwards wing Allen Jamieson added a second score, but almost immediately Perthshire hit back with a try
when Selkirk failed to clear their lines properly and paid the penalty. The successful conversion put Perthshire
back in the game at 10-7.
Just before halftime Jamieson stretched Selkirk’s lead when he dived full-length for a try in the corner, after
Ian Walling had won a strike against the head moments earlier. Following the change of ends, and with snow now
beginning to whip across the pitch, Selkirk found themselves pinned in their own 22 for long periods, as an increasingly
desperate Perthshire team threw everything into attack. Needless to say the visitors were in no mood to give an
inch, and the fearless tackles put in by every Selkirk player on the pitch must have delighted coaches Brian Cassidy
and Darren Hoggan, as they nervously paced up and down the touchline.
The final whistle was the signal for the visitors to celebrate a famous win, leaving the title race once again
wide open.
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Robert Conway — named
‘Man of the Match’.
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SELKIRK ‘A’ — D. Cassidy (rep. D. Hulme 12 mins), A. Jamieson, G. Lyall,
SELKIRK ‘A’ — D. Cassidy (rep. D. Hulme 12 mins), A. Jamieson, G. Lyall,
N. Brown, C. Hunter, T. Cove (rep. M. Easson 68 mins), M. McVie, G.
Ruthven, I. Walling, A. Johnston (rep. I. Purves 55 mins), R. Conway, K.
Connor, N. Purves (rep. G. Jeffrey 42 mins), C. Kemp, B. Hoggan.
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