SELKIRK came out on top once again at Philiphaugh with only their eighth win in the Border League since it all started at the very beginning of the 20th century, 124 years ago. It was clear at the end how much this meant to the whole team and to the town, but Gala, from a division below, made them fight all the way for the silverware in what turned out to be a high scoring Border derby where the gentle drizzle couldn’t dampen the spirits of the boys in Navy. It was unbeaten Selkirk who got off to the best possible start, immediately taking the game to Gala from a driven lineout with try scoring machine Corey Tait touching down in the corner after 3 minutes with Callum Anderson adding the extras to lead 7-0. From the base of a scrum just inside the Gala half, Keiren Westlake released captain Aaron McColm who evaded severel tackles to scorch in under the posts with Anderson adding the extras to increase the score. The Netherdale outfit however were not just over to make up the numbers and after being camped on the Souters line for several phases they eventually crossed the white wash with Gavin Fisher bulldozing over for a converted try. Indiscipline by Gala was costing them dearly and another penalty was driven into the corner by Selkirk. After winger Josh Welsh was held up short, the ball went wide from Jack Fisher who found Dylan Bronlund lurking in the wing to claim the try which once again Anderson slotted from wide out to increase their lead 21-7. The Premiership boys were now on the rampage and after a yellow card was shown to one of the Gala forwards for a tackle in the air, the following lineout saw Selkirk inch closer to the try line. And it was that man Tait who claimed the 5 points after peeling off the tail of the maul for a converted try 28-7. A break by substitute Rhuaridh Murray released Tait who made yards up the pitch with a beautiful off load to Bronlund who in turn released Ben Pickles who advanced deep into Gala’s half. And as the visitors struggled to arrange any sort of defence, Andrew Grant-Suttie was able to release Welsh into space for the galloping winger to get on the score sheet with Anderson slotting the 2 points, increasing their lead 35-7. The Braw lads were looking to find a weakness in the Selkirk defence but a crunching tackle by flanker Taylor Wilson saw the ball land in McColms hands, and from 80 metres out, the captain ran the length to further increase the home teams lead by 40-7 as the half time whistle blew. Just after the break a neat take at a line by Bronlund released Westlake who danced his way over down the blind to add to the total 45-7. A burst of speed down the stand side by Anderson saw substitute Hugo Alderson receive the neatly judged pass to evade several tackles to hit the half century for the Souters with Anderson enjoying the challenging touch line kicks to add the bonus two to advance the Philiphaugh men 52-7. Fish for Gala managed to score his second touchdown for the Maroons as time slipped away for the visitors but it was too little too late. And as the final whistle grew closer on an historic night for Selkirk, a scintillating run by Grant-Suttie brought the crowd to their feet. And after being held up just short, veteran prop Bruce Riddell managed to burrow his way over for the final score of the night completing the score 57-12 as the Souters claimed their eighth win of the oldest rugby competition in the world and became, once again, Border League Champions.
