Selkirk 24

PREMIER ONE

STUART CAMERON reports

from Raeburn Place

SELKIRK hit the 30-point total in their first time back in Premier 1 for many years, and they did it on Saturday at the halfway stage of the league programme.

It's a remarkable achievement for a team many had written off as relegation contenders before the season had even begun.

Instead, the Souters have now won seven of their matches including all their home fixtures and taken the scalps of league leaders Ayr and champions Boroughmuir to boot. That's an impressive record and it won't take too many more points before they can safely say they've achieved their first target of avoiding the drop.

Accies have a reputation of sticking the ball up the jumper and playing it tight, using their pack to grind out results, but this was a very entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable rugby match with plenty of free-flowing play. Even Accies turned up to the party to throw the ball about to their talented, yet often under-used backs.

Selkirk stated their intentions right from the off and on 17 minutes, a period of pressure enabled Michael McVie to slip the ball out to Rory Aglen, who charged over to open the Selkirk account and get his first try of the season.

McVie had already missed a penalty wide out on the right on five minutes, but made no mistake from the opposite side of the pitch with the conversion.

Accies hit back with a well-taken Ruairidh Bonner try five minutes later, but just before the interval Selkirk increased their lead again.

McVie opted for a quick tap penalty and for a moment it looked as if he'd thrown away the three points. But recycled ball kept the move alive and Gavin Craig came in at an angle to slice a way through the defence and touch down under the posts.

McVie kicked the extras, but seconds before the break, an Accies penalty from Stewart Walker reduced the deficit to six points.

Walker struck again after the break with another penalty, but that was the signal for Selkirk to switch gear.

The try of the day came in the 57th minute. Fraser Harkness, who had been a thorn in the side of the Edinburgh team all afternoon, carved his way through the heart of the defence to score under the posts.

McVie again obliged with another two points.

Again Edinburgh refused to lie down and on the hour they conjured up another try from James Turner. It meant an anxious final few minutes for the Souters, but a 69th minute McVie penalty, following some hands in the ruck, clinched the result and Accies were denied a losing bonus point.

The Philiphaugh men were definitely unlucky to miss out on a try bonus themselves – Harkness very nearly made the line in a late kick-and-chase move.

Backs coach Michael Jaffray was delighted with the win.