SELKIRK will take a giant step towards qualifying from its Border Regional Cup group with victory at Hawick YM tomorrow.
The Souters travel to Mansfield Haugh top of the section, and on the back of a 13-6 win against Hillhead/Jordanhill in the National League last Saturday.
And coach Ewan Robbie is looking to his pack for another strong showing to make it three wins from three in the group.
Robbie told The Wee Paper: “The Hillhead win was a very good result for us.
“We got a big performance from the forwards. We weren’t happy with how they played against Jed-Forest and we had a word with them.
“But they stepped up to the mark against Hillhead. We moved Clement Lacour to second row, where he has played in the past, which worked well, while Hillhead had a couple of props missing.
“But that doesn’t take anything away from the forwards’ performance.”
As for Hawick YM, who sit fourth in the Championship B table and still have a chance of earning their third straight promotion, Robbie said: “We have to be respectful.
“They have beaten Jed already this season and I expect them to play in the same style as Hawick first team, as any player leaving Hawick heads to the YM.”
Fraser Harkness is a doubt due to dizziness connected to a problem with his ear, picked up while playing for the Scotland 7s team.
Stuart Forrest is definitely missing as he is on holiday, but Ryan Crockatt returns.
Conditions for Selkirk’s clash with Hillhead were more fitting to the battle of the Somme than a rugby game.
Driving, constant rain meant the match was shifted to the Youth Club’s Victoria Park pitch from Philiphaugh, and it was the visitors who adapted quickest with Gus Twaddle landing a penalty after a Rory Banks’ obstruction.
Twaddle doubled the lead with another three points when Neil Darling failed to roll away from a tackle, but Scott Hendrie landed a penalty for the hosts when flanker Dougie Crichton was judged to have strayed offside by Galashiels referee Colin Reavely.
Selkirk were reduced to 14 men when Angus Duckett was yellow-carded for a late challenge on Hillhead stand-off Alasdhair McFarlane.
However, instead of setting Selkirk back, the reduction in numbers seemed to fire up the home pack, and the Souters did not concede a point in Duckett’s 10-minute absence from the field. Then came the decisive score as Gavin Craig, Darling, Hendrie and Banks were involved in a move which culminated in Darren Clapperton touching down for the only try of the game.
A Hendrie penalty was the only score of a keenly contested second half, as Selkirk withstood Hillhead pressure for a hard fought, and muddy, win.
Tomorrow’s game at Hawick YM kicks off at 2pm.