Jed-Forest 23
Selkirk 17
RBS NATIONAL LEAGUE
FIONA SCOTT reports from Riverside Park
CLINGING on to league survival by their fingernails, Jed-Forest showed guts and determination at Riverside Park on Saturday to pull off a crucial win over Selkirk.
Playing on a sticky surface, both teams attempted to play running rugby with possession being split equally throughout the game.
The hosts were seven points ahead after 10 minutes, a Ewan Scott penalty and a try from Nua Fono-Hunt providing the points, but Selkirk regrouped and replied with a Gavin Craig try, converted by Mike McVie.
Stalemate ensued for much of the remainder of the half, up to the 39th minute, in fact, but once again the hosts showed their commitment to staying in the league with a well-worked move along the back line, ending with a try out wide from Lewis Young.
Scott’s conversion bounced off the post, as had his earlier attempt, and the half ended with Jed 13-7 in front.
An exchange of penalties between McVie and Jed’s Iain Chisolm kept the scoreline ticking over at the start of the second half before, once again, the game lapsed into stalemate with no quarter given by either side.
Until the closing 10 minutes, that is, when slow and dogged turned into fast and furious with tries at either end. Selkirk went in front for the first time in the game on 73 minutes when Stuart Forrest was bundled over.
No sooner had McVie nailed the conversion, however, than Jed had their response in the bag. A second try by Fono-Hunt, converted by Chisolm, edged the hosts back in front.
Belief that the home side could secure that final touch down to achieve the much-needed bonus point was almost palpable and Jed’s young warriors tried their best, but it was not to be as the referee blew the whistle on what had been a highly entertaining game.
Jed-Forest: I. Chisolm; L. Young, R. Hogg, E. Scott, D. Gobby; N. Fono-Hunt, R. Goodfellow; A. Ions, David Grieve, A. Frame, G. Young, G. Elder, M. Weekley, Donald Grieve, S. Reaburn. Subs: N. Bates, J. Sudlow, J. Rowley, R. Miller, C. Gillon.
Selkirk: F. Harkness; C. McColm, S. Bell, R. Nixon, D. Clapperton; G. Craig, M. McVie; S. Renwick, J. Bett, C. Graur, A. Renwick, E. Turner, C. Marshall, M. Robertson, E. MacDougall. Subs: L. MacLennan, S. Forrest, A. Duckett, M. Waldron, K. Mitchell.
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