Kelso RFC (35) vs Selkirk RFC (3) - RBS Premier 2 - Stage 1

Pre-Match Report

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Match Report

After 2 very ordinary performances in the last two games, Kelso, who were still missing a few injured players, played out of their skins to beat a Selkirk side which had been making steady progress up the RBS Premier 2 league. 

There was an air of apprehension aroundPoynderParkbefore the start and even after the first scrum things looked a little ominous as Kelso were penalised for collapsing. Selkirk took a 3 point lead from the resulting penalty. Kelso, however, never looked back and were soon level with a Greg Ponton penalty for an offside at a scrum. He doubled the Kelso total with another penalty for side entry to a ruck. Selkirk lost a player to the bin for a technical offence and on 30 minutes, after great continuity play amongst the backs and forwards, Stuart Lowrie burrowed over for a try which Ponton was unable to convert. He did, however, slot another penalty for a Selkirk offside to take the half time score to 14-3. Selkirk did have some pressure just before the break after Ewan Ford handled in a ruck. 

The second half took a while to settle with Selkirk under pressure but with Kelso making a few handling errors. After 7 minutes of the half Derek Welsh and Selkirk captain, Neil Darling, found themselves in the bin after a slight difference of opinion. Kelso started to turn the screw on Selkirk with a very effective scrummage and some great play in the loose. This eventually led to another Kelso try by Stuart Lowrie after a sequence of play involving several picks and drives by the forwards. Ponton added the extra points with the conversion. He missed a penalty soon after.  The feeling was that Selkirk were bound to have some of the play but only for a short period of time as Kelso increased their lead with a Gregg Minto try. His run from 30 metres resembled a pin ball machine as he progressed to the line bumping off half a dozen Selkirk players on the way to the posts. Ponton made the easy conversion to take Kelso clear at 28-3 and the result beyond doubt.

All the replacements were now on and the quest was on for the bonus point. This duly arrived when a Selkirk passing move broke down on their own 22 metre line. Andrew Haig showed great skill by scooping up the ball to run in from 15 metres. Ponton converted to take the final score to 35-3. 

An absolutely outstanding performance by the forwards especially in the scrum and loose was the determining factor for this win. As some of the other teams around the bottom of the league were also successful today, the result had even greater importance for us to keep in the chase for a comfortable position as we come up to the league split in 3 more games. Another important factor today was the greatly decreased number of penalties conceded. Pressure makes teams concede penalties and we were not under great pressure today.