Peebles 13
Selkirk 22
PREMIER C
FIONA SCOTT reports from The Gytes
WITH nowt to play for bar pride, Peebles and their supporters enjoyed a good day’s rugby under blue skies on Saturday.
Selkirk, on the other hand, experienced a nervy 80-or-so minutes, which at times almost cost them their unbeaten Premier C record.
As expected, the visitors took control of the game in the early stages over an already relegated Peebles outfit, with the fine weather inviting a running and handling approach from both sides.
David Cassidy was back in action and put Selkirk ahead almost immediately with a penalty in the fourth minute and added another in the 24th minute.
The opening try came from Peter Mirrielees, who barged his way over following some good forward work on the half-hour mark.
The Selkirk hooker had scored four tries against the hosts the last time the two teams met and continued to be a thorn in their side last weekend. Cassidy converted.
After following advice from the Marquess of Queensberry, Andrew Renwick was sent to the sin-bin and Peebles got their first points on the board from the resulting Greg Raeburn penalty to end the half with Selkirk leading 13-3.
Cassidy continued his good form with the boot after the restart, slotting his third three-pointer, before the hosts launched an unexpected comeback. Tries from Ryan McConnell and Dalton Hall, split by another Cassidy penalty, brought Peebles right back into the game and, with eight minutes to play, it looked as if they could edge a victory.
Selkirk managed to keep the Pees at bay, however, and a fifth penalty on full-time from Cassidy deprived the hosts of a deserved losing bonus point for their efforts.
Peebles: David Anderson; C. Blyth, D. Clancy, N. Hogarth, R. Clinch; G. Raeburn, Donald Anderson; A. Clark, M. Carryer, T. Mapuilesua, G. Hogarth, A. Warnock, R. McConnell, E. Jackson, D. Hall. Subs: J. Serex, S. Raeburn, K. Clyde, J. Forrester.
Selkirk: R. Banks; N. Godsmark, D. Cassidy, S. Hendrie, C. McColm; M. Rutherford, M. McVie; S. Renwick, P. Mirrielees, C. Lacour, R. Aglen, A. Renwick, S. McDonald, E MacDougall, C. Johnston. Subs: A. Lyall, J. Bett, G. Patterson, C. Ward.