Selkirk 1
Leith Athletic 2
EoS FIRST DIVISION
KENNY PATERSON reports from Yarrow Park
JASON Inglis’ bad luck on Saturday afternoon was so severe, he probably chucked away his National Lottery ticket before even checking if he had scooped the jackpot.
Just when Selkirk seemed to have rescued a point through Jamie Gibson’s 82nd minute penalty, Inglis headed in a spectacular own goal with only four minutes remaining.
Then, in a desperate attempt to grab an injury-time equaliser, Inglis made the most of a challenge in the Leith penalty box.
It was probably not a penalty, yet not a dive either.
In an incident similar to Christophe Berra’s spot kick appeal for Scotland against the Czech Republic a year ago; just as Dutch referee Kevin Blom booked Berra and broke Scottish hearts, Inglis was yellow-carded by whistler David Doig.
It was Inglis’ second booking, and the midfielder trooped off the field to round off a miserable first game back in the First Division for the Souters.
Afterwards, assistant manager Aaron Biggs had no complaints – apart from criticising his team’s desire.
He told TheSouthern: “It was the complete opposite of our Scottish Cup performance at Glasgow University from the previous weekend.
“It was our worst performance this season, behind the Eyemouth game. The players need to learn and learn quickly.
“It was lacklustre and none of the players can really say they played well. Teams are going to try to get us into a battle in this division and we will have to get used to that.”
Both teams were victims of relegation from the Premier Division last season, but neither put in a performance which indicated they are destined for a swift return, although the windy conditions hindered the quality of the game, as did constant bickering with each other and referee Doig.
Leith looked the most dangerous throughout the first period, with winger Lachlan Thom missing a great chance early on before hitting the bar with a swirling free kick on the half-hour.
Lachlan Thom nearly scored again when Stephen Barrie’s shot flashed across the Selkirk goal, but Lee Stephen nipped the ball off the wide man’s toes just yards from the net.
Athletic claimed the lead just two minutes into the second half as Greig Tulloch fired over the goal line from a Stephen Barrie corner as the home side failed to clear the ball. A Leith mistake almost set up the equaliser as Lewis Cairns’ woefully short backpass to Iain Gordon allowed Jamie Gibson to round the goalkeeper, but Gordon recovered well to make the save.
Referee Doig then controversially gave Selkirk their penalty when Lee Pykosz appeared to be fouled just outside the penalty area, only for whistler Doig to award a spot kick, which Gibson converted.
But Inglis’ intervention, from a Stephen Barrie free kick, meant Leith nicked the three points.
Selkirk can do better than this, and will have to in order to make the jump back into the Premier Division.
Selkirk: J. Dodds, K. Munro, L. Stephen, J. Higginbottom, E. Pritchard (B. Tait 71), L. Pykosz, M. Holness, J. Inglis, J. Gibson, A. Butters (J. Watt 55), D. Battle (J. Aitken 55).