Leith Athletic 1
Selkirk 1
EoS PREMIER DIVISION
IN dreadful conditions at Telford College Sports Ground, the two teams occupying 11th and 12th places in the Premier Division played out a draw which didn’t suit either side in the end.
The homesters started brightly and could have taken the lead in the opening five minutes.
Selkirk pushed on and stopped Leith getting into any rhythm, and threatened the home goal themselves in the 14th minute when a cross from the left found the unmarked Daryl Burdett, whose shot was saved by Iain Gordon.
In the 20th minute, Leith put together their first move of the game and a build-up of short, sharp passing saw a cross from Lewis Tracey directed goalwards by Greig Tulloch. With Selkirk’s John Dodds going the wrong way, it looked inevitable that the home side would go ahead, but what can only be described as a wonder save from the visiting keeper kept the scoreline blank.
The city men finally made the breakthrough after a long ball from Gordon was flicked on by Willie Bremner. Tulloch reached the ball first and, after his first shot was saved by Dodds, Tulloch reacted first and slotted the ball home from four yards out.
Shortly after, Leith had an opportunity to double their lead when Chris Barrie played in Jason Stevens, whose deep cross was volleyed into the side netting by Tulloch.
The visitors started the second half the better side and almost scored immediately from the restart, but a clearing header from Gavin Tainsh kept the scoreline at 1-0.
In the 52nd minute, the score was all-square after a corner from the right was delivered deep to the back post. A header back across goal caused all sorts of problems for the Leith defence and Ewan Pritchard headed home from three yards out.
Chances were few and far between as the game entered the closing stages.
Burdett should have put Selkirk ahead in the 70th minute after a run down the left, but he shot wide of the Leith right-hand post, while Dodds managed to stop the hosts taking the lead through a Stephen Barrie header from six yards out.
Selkirk: J. Dodds, L. Stephen, B. Milven, J. Higginbottom, E. Pritchard, J. Inglis, D. Battle, Ryan McManus, J. Gibson, D. Burdett, M. Holness. Subs: A. Campbell, J. Watt, Ross McManus, W. Mercer, R. Connelly.
Report courtesy of www.leithathleticfc.com