Dundee HSFP 52 - 14 Selkirk: Confidence issue gives Graham Marshall cause for concern

Dundee fans are now almost blase about these free-scoring spectacles involving their team, but for Selkirk coach Graham Marshall, this hammering was particularly concerning as the Borderers prepare for the mid-season split and a battle to stay in Premier One.

This was the sixth of eight games in which Ian Rankin's team have been involved in a ten-try contest and they scored eight this time.

It was not entirely surprising given the Mayfield men had three Glasgow pros in the backline in Peter Murchie, Peter Horne and Rob Dewey, as well as Warriors training squad member James Fleming.

Selkirk, in contrast, were severely weakened in the backline, with no fewer than five backs ruled out through injury, but the Dundee pros, Horne's brilliant goalkicking apart, were mostly peripheral, although both Murchie and Fleming contributed to the try-count.

It was up front among the forwards where Dundee demolished the visitors and set the platform for the rout, with lock forward and skipper Richie Hawkins claiming a spectacular hat-trick of tries.

"There's a confidence issue coming in," said Marshall. It's clearly a case of trying to get the guys to believe."

"Dundee are a better all-round team than us but there's more we could be doing to make it closer.

"We've been thinking about the second half of the season for some time and it's helpful to have Premier One games to prepare.

"But they need to be competitive games like last week against Melrose and not where you're losing by 50 points, especially when the top four from Premier Two will have confidence and momentum from winning games."

Rankin said he was pleased with the onfield input of his draftees, but more how they inspire his own squad to play better.

"I honestly hope that none is available to play for us next week and they're all playing for Glasgow, but while they are available they lift the performance of the whole squad," he said.

Scorers: Dundee HSFP - Tries: Hawkins (3), Murchie, McKenna, Forrest, Levison, Fleming. Cons: Horne (6). Selkirk: Tries: Harkness (2). Cons: Cassidy (2).

Dundee HSFP: P Murchie; R Dewey, H Duthie, P Horne, J Fleming; R McKenna, A Dymock; N Dymock, S Forrest, D Russell; R Hawkins, A Linton; C Cumming, R Gray, D Levison. Subs: C Kerr, A Brown, R Milne, R Cessford, C Wade.

Selkirk: F Harkness; N Godsmark, R Nixon, A Lyall, D Clapperton; D Cassidy, M McVie; G Patterson, M Martin, R Taylor; S Turnbull, S Willett; N Darling, C Johnston, C Marshall. Subs: M Davis, R Godsmark, J Everitt, M Weller, S Forrest.

Referee: T Coutts (Watsonians)