West of Scotland 26 - Selkirk 22
Aug
AT BURNBRAE
Teams such as this pair, expected to be fighting in early season to avoid being in the bottom four after 11 games - which would drop them into Premier B to fight for a continuing place in the top cohort - have to win their home games.
So West of Scotland were particularly pleased to not just do that but take the extra bonus point. Into the bargain spectators at Burnbrae got a real humdinger of a contrast.
It started slowly though engagingly with all but one of the first half sADVERTISEMENT
cores that left Selkirk with a 15-11 lead a penalty kick.
The engagement cranked up after the turn with West scoring two tries in the opening ten minutes and the fourth as the final quarter began.
However with all three conversion attempts missing, and Selkirk then getting a try of their own, from Rob Taylor converted by David Cassidy, the visitors trailed by just 22-26.
As stoppage time dragged on towards the seven minute mark, West's defence held up well to ensure the victory. West backs coach George Breckenridge said: "That was a tough one but resolute defence got us the five points."
Scorers: WoS: Tries: MacKenzie (2), Davis (2). Pen: Davis (2). Selkirk: Try: Taylor. Con: Cassidy. Pens: Cassidy (5)
West of Scotland: C Davis; C McKenzie, R Dalgleish, K Matheson, A McCall; Hagen A Stevenson; A Fisken, S Longwell, D McKenna, E McLaren, G Perrett, R McAlpine, D Young, A De Ste Croix, C Morrison. Subs used: C Marshall, G Haswell, C Barrie, M Sim.
Selkirk: F Harkness; J Hendrie, D Cassidy, R Armstrong, D Clapperton; G Craig, M McVie; G Patterson, S Forrest, M Weller, A Renwick, S Willett, N Darling, C Paton, R Crockatt. subs used: I Walling, R Taylor, C Marshall, C Johnstone.Ref: I Heard (Gala YM)
