Selkirk 2
Kelso Utd 0
EoS FIRST DIVISION
KEVIN JANIAK reports from Yarrow Park
IT WAS Jamie Gibson’s delightful double that won Selkirk the points on Saturday, but the Kelso coach said it was more down to his team being “junk”.
While that statement may have been a little unkind to a team that fairly matched the Souters in terms of posession and territory, they just couldn’t find the net and barely tested John Dodds in the Selkirk goal.
Kelso boss Prof Blaikie told TheSouthern: “We were junk. We dominated the game – Selkirk should never have been in it – but we huffed and puffed and made silly mistakes.
“I’m gutted. We have experienced players and I don’t think they asked enough questions, and I have told them they have really spoiled my night.”
The Tweedsiders came to Yarrow Park as slight favourites, given the home side’s poor performance in their last two matches, but that man Gibson proved the difference with another stunning display.
The first goal came from a Kenny Munro free kick, laid on into Gibson’s path by Jason Ingles and the striker looped the ball beautifully over visitors’ keeper Scott Dowie.
And while the first was a show of precision, the second, in the 78th minute, was one of sheer power.
It came from a Kelso corner. The Tweedsiders were fairly feckless in front of goal, and this time proved no different. The ball was cleared, and the only Selkirk man up front was Gibson. Once the ball was at his feet, he turned, put his head down, and headed for the box like a speeding train.
His speed caught the Kelso defence unawares and he found himself facing Dowie one-on-one. A quick look up was all that was required and he blasted the ball into the top right corner of the net. Dowie’s hands were a couple of feet away, but even if he had tipped it, there was no chance of it ever going anywhere else but the back of the net.
And when Gibson wasn’t scoring goals, he was running incessantly, testing the defence, trying to gain that elusive extra yard. If there was a blade of grass he didn’t step on, it was a lucky one.
He came in for some high praise from delighted manager Mike McKinnon.
He said: “Jamie’s a dream to work with. Wherever you put him, he works his socks off and he does what you tell him to do.
“He’s got two goals today and that will do his confidence the world of good, and he needs that.
“He’s a good lad, but he absolutely hates not scoring goals. He’s a striker, that’s what they do.”
Gibson was backed up mightily by Ryan McManus, Andy Noble and David Battle, while the defence played their part in ensuring Kelso did not score.
The Tweedsiders did have a few high spots, however. Liam Wallace is a delight to watch, while Chris Black and Des Burnett always manage to look dangerous when on the ball.
But there were too few attempts on goal to increase their chances of scoring. Sean Angus went close early in the first half after Jordan Lauder’s cheeky cutback, and their best chance came from substitute Mark Harker late on the second, whose dipping shot was heading goalwards, but John Dodds was able to shake himself awake and tip it over the bar.
Selkirk: J. Dodds, L. Stephen, K. Munro, E. Pritchard, J. Inglis, R. McManus, A. Noble (A. Butters 83 mins), R. Gay (C. Peoples 70 mins), J. Gibson, J. Watt (M. Holness 70 mins) and D. Battle.
Kelso Utd: S. Dowie, J. McCutcheon (G. Mabon 80 mins), S. Angus, D. McNulty, G. McNulty, S. Tait, G. Gillie (S. Harker 70 mins), C. Black, D. Burnett, L. Wallace and J. Lauder (C. Webb 75 mins).