50-17 thumping by Marr in rugby’s Scottish Premiership a reality check for Selkirk, says skipper Scott McClymont

Monroe Job on the ball during Selkirk's 50-17 loss at home to Marr at Philiphaugh on Saturday in rugby's Scottish Premiership (Photo: Grant Kinghorn)

The Souters, though they managed to stay within reach of their visitors from South Ayrshire until just after half-time, were run ragged as the second half went on, conceding 33 points and scoring just five, but they’ll be looking to learn lessons from that post-interval slump as they target a return to winning ways away to Musselburgh this coming Saturday, McClymont told Borders Rugby TV afterwards.

Selkirk go into that trip to East Lothian, with kick-off at 3pm, sitting eighth in rugby’s Scottish Premiership, with 25 points from 13 fixtures, four league places and 14 points worse off than their hosts, 51-27 victors at home to Jed at the weekend.

They lost the reverse fixture in the Borders at the end of September by 24-21 so they’ll be out to prevent Musselburgh notching up a winning double on home turf.

Callum Anderson on the attack during Selkirk's 50-17 loss at home to Marr at Philiphaugh on Saturday in rugby's Scottish Premiership (Photo: Grant Kinghorn)

Josh Welsh scored two tries for head coach Gordon Henderson’s Selkirk side on Saturday, with Finlay Wheelans touching down their other and Hugo Alderson adding a conversion.

Winger Welsh’s tries got the hosts back on level terms approaching half-time after falling 12-0 behind, but second-placed Marr hit back with unconverted touchdowns either side of the break to dent any hopes of a further comeback.

Marr’s tries at Philiphaugh were scored by Jake Jacobson, Alex Apthorpe, Blair Jardine, David Andrew at the double, Conor Bickerstaff, Jack Scott and Fraser Grant, with Colin Sturgeon adding five conversions.

“In the first half, I thought we stayed in the fight really well,” said McClymont.

Selkirk getting a tackle in during their 50-17 loss at home to Marr at Philiphaugh on Saturday in rugby's Scottish Premiership (Photo: Grant Kinghorn)

“It was 17-12 at half-time and they’d got a couple of easy scores, so we thought we could maybe come back into it, but our lineout wasn’t functioning and our backs and forwards weren’t interlinking and they got kind of a cricket score at the end.

“At half-time, we were still feeling like we could come back into the game but it just wasn’t to be.

“We’d had a couple of good weeks and we’ve been brought back down to reality this week.

“We’ll just need to dust ourselves off and head away to Musselburgh next week and try to get a result there.

Cameron Easson getting a pass away during Selkirk's 50-17 loss at home to Marr at Philiphaugh on Saturday in rugby's Scottish Premiership (Photo: Grant Kinghorn)

“We’re just needing a wee bit more time to gel.”

Selkirk’s away-day this weekend will take them into their last handful of fixtures of the season and they enter that run-in 21 points clear of basement side Jed and 14 shy of the top-four play-off spots.

Their remaining fixtures after this weekend, weather permitting, are at home to Kelso on December 9 and Hawick on February 3 and away to Heriot’s Blues on January 20 and Edinburgh Academical on January 27, all Saturdays.

They’ve also got three Border League fixtures left to play – at home to Peebles on Saturday, January 6, and Melrose on Friday, February 23, and away to Gala on Friday, March 8.

They’re currently second to Hawick in the regional league’s standings, with eight points from three matches.