Selkirk’s lead over Marr cut to three points as fight for fourth place in rugby’s Tennent’s Premiership goes to wire

The Souters remain fourth from top of the table with three fixtures still to go, on 44 points from 15 matches.

Their lead over fifth-placed Marr – six points at kick-off against the South Ayrshire side at home at Philiphaugh at the weekend and offering potential to be extended into double figures – is now down to three points, however.

Saturday’s only saving grace for head coach Scott Wight’s Souters side was a losing bonus point from their 18-13 defeat by their visitors from Troon after going 8-0 and later 13-6 up, meaning that their fate remains in their own hands.

The hosts’ tries were scored by winger Josh Welsh seconds after kick-off and lock Andrew Cochrane shortly after the interval, with fly-half Aaron McColm adding a penalty.

Brothers Conor and Scott Bickerstaff scoired Marr’s tries, with Colin Sturgeon adding one conversion and two penalties.

Selkirk start their end-of-season run-in with a trip to second-placed Currie Chieftains this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 2pm, and they’ll be out to stop the Edinburgh side doing the double against them, having lost 29-20 to them in the reverse fixture at home back in October.

That’s followed by visits from third-placed Edinburgh Academical seven days later and third-bottom Heriot’s Blues on Saturday, February 18.

Marr’s remaining fixtures are versus Jed-Forest and Glasgow Hawks at home and Currie away.

Selkirk back-rower Monroe Job blamed indiscipline, errors and injuries for his side’s loss to Marr, telling Borders Rugby TV afterwards: “Our indiscipline got them back into the game and even at the end they got down the field through kicks and won the lineout, so that’s something we need to look at.”

The teenager added: “Our injury list is creeping up. There were a couple of big names missing – James Head, Ross Nixon and Andrew McColm. They would have all made a difference today.”