Selkirk 0

Civil Service Strollers 5

By Callum Hodgson

at Yarrow Park

SELKIRK slipped to their third league defeat on Wednesday night.

But things looked a little brighter for Gordon Rae's Souters who have struggled to get a first XI together in recent weeks.

A total of 14 players turned out to help the club off the back of an open training session held at Yarrow Park on Monday night.

And the group gave it their all for the full 90 minutes.

Boss Rae told the Border Telegraph: "It was a massive improvement. They [Civil Service] are a decent team. I was very impressed with them. They knock the ball around well and they have been building for a wee while. They know what they're doing and know their jobs.

"We have been thrown together. That's not an excuse, it's more of a reason.

"Three of the goals came from counter attacks. From the edge of their own box, they have taken four touches and it's in the back of our net. You can't switch off.

"However, some of out play was decent and the effort our players put in was fantastic – you can't fault them for that."

Despite looking confident on the ball early on, the Souters were undone in the seventh minute when David Churchill connected with Iain Ballantyne's cross.

In-form stopper Matthew Mackie was called into action soon after and made some cracking saves to deny the Civil Service attackers.

And on the half hour mark the home side were helped out by the post when Ballantyne struck from the edge of the area.

Mark Afedzie-Hayford and Sandy Cunningham in particular both had good games for the home side and caused problems.

But it was the visitors who fired in again just before half time. Mackie made a fingertip save to deny Muirhead on the left before Ballantyne scrambled the ball over the line.

Muirhead was next on the scoresheet on 71 minutes. The 20-year-old shrugged off David Grant and calmly dispatched.

Soon after, it was four, when Mark McConnell curled in his effort from inside the box.

And former Selkirk winger Jordan Hopkinson, who came on as a substitute for the visitors, got the last goal – moments before the full time whistle.

Selkirk: M Mackie, C McMillan, A Nicolson, D Grant, S Cunningham, M McFadyen, U Koroma, M Afedzie-Hayford, R Ward (K Doran 78), S McColl, B Short. Subs not used: R Legge, C Kennedy