Gala 19 - 23 Selkirk: Late penalty seals it for Selkirk

Gala's Opeta Palepoi. Picture: Alwyn Johnston

SELKIRK ended their duck in the Premiership with a well-deserved win at Netherdale, sealing the points with a late Rory Banks penalty which came after Gala had clawed back the deficit to one point.

Neither side could create openings until Darren Clapperton scored in 12 minutes, running in from a break by Ross Nixon. Jack Cuthbert converted for a 7-0 lead. Gala’s Craig Dods then went wide with a penalty.

Selkirk’s Mikey Davies was sent to the sin-bin, but Callum Rowlandson of Gala was also yellow-carded.

A minute from half-time Opeta Palepoi, pictured, went over in the left-hand corner, but then Davies pounced on a poor kick by Dods to score Selkirk’s second try, leaving the visitors 12-5 ahead at the interval.

Wellman dropped a goal for Selkirk, and it was game on when Alan Dell and Josh Irvine scored twice in three minutes and Dods converted both. But Banks banged over a penalty and Selkirk held out to give coach Peter Wright his first win of the season.