Selkirk Youth Rugby Club

Youth Club in good win against Kelso Quins
The Youth Club made a lively start to the game last Saturday and immediately put Kelso Quins on the back foot with some enterprising rugby from both the Youth Club forwards & backs combining well. Kelso won possession from a scrum near their posts and a kick out was charged down by the Youth Club and livewire flanker Scott McClymont reacted quickly to touch down near the posts and Welsh slotted over the conversion to make it 7 points to Nil. From the kick off Kelso Quins worked their way well into the Youth Club half and only some determined defending by the Youth Club kept them away from their try line. The Youth Club finally gained possession when stand off Callum McEwan made a break well into the Kelso half before being tackled and it was the Youth Clubs chance to press for another try and from another charge down McClymont appeared to touch down only for the referee to be unsighted and not allow the score. Midway through the half the Youth Club got their second try when hooker Ross Purves showed his strength to power forward and the Youth Club back opened up the Kelso Quins defence with Welsh showing his strength by shrugging of a number of tackles to burst through to score near the posts and then slot over the conversion to make it 14 points to Nil. Kelso were then awarded a penalty but the kick drifted wide. Kelso to give their due never gave up and caused the Youth Club a lot of problems especially by winning the ball from the Youth Club on the ground with their young forwards combining well with the No 8 impressing. Both teams were making errors but this added further excitement to the large crowd. Kelso found themselves encamped in the Youth Club half with half time approaching but just could not find a way of scoring. Just before the half time whistle McEwan was yellow carded by the referee which meant the Youth Club would have to spend 10 minutes of the second half without their influential stand off.
The Youth Club started the second half well and despite being a man down put Kelso under pressure, but some determined defending by Kelso kept the Youth Club out until scrum half Kyle Stillie wriggled over to score with Welsh converting to make it 21 points to Nil. Play continued to swing from end to end with Kelso being unlucky a number of occasions not to have any luck in getting close to the Youth club try line. Kelso were matching the Youth club up front and the Youth Club coaches had to make some changes due to injuries to second row Jack Houston and flanker Adam Nichol, Jordan Lunt & Bruce Riddell being the more than suitable replacements. Fergus MacKerracher already having been replaced by Chris Mordue in the first half. With about 15 minutes remaining the try of the day came when the Youth Club took control in their own half and a quick break by McEwan via Welsh & Lewis MacLennan to McEwan again set up supporting full back Kieran Monks to slice Kelso wide open to score, again Welsh converted. Kelso worked hard and made progress and also played some good rugby. The final try came from a cheeky chip over the advancing Kelso backs by McEwan and with a good bounce of the ball had an easy task of touching down between the posts making it easy for Welsh to get his fifth conversion of the day to make the final score 35 points to Nil. Credit must be given to Kelso for making this a competitive game but unfortunately they did not have the same cutting edge as the Youth club. Thanks to sponsors ERH Joinery and Town Arms.

Report George Lyall
Photos Grant Kinghorn