The Force won a tense encounter against Selkirk A at Mansfield Haugh on Saturday, holding on for a bonus try win thanks to hard tackling and running. Helped out again by David Lowrie, (how often can the same man be thanked for bailing the Club out on and off the pitch?), the mix of youth and experience found reserves of energy to please the encouraging crowd. Steven Mabon was immense in the loose, whilst Mathew King and Andrew Ford both earned big plus marks on their return to the ‘YM’. In the young backs Adamo Antonacci and Brodie Graham (whose elder brother apparently also plays rugby) were classy runners with ball in hand. When young Ben Storrie came on, he made big advances and Nathan Murray put in a fine shift in the set plays along with namesake Murray Renwick. By half time the Force had a deserved lead 15-9, through an excellent solo effort from Elliot Stanger and other well worked team tries finished off by Mabon and Antonacci. With penalties mounting against the Teri youngsters, at least as the referee saw it, and despite their obvious discontent with the imbalanced number of decisions against them, a bonus point try from Murray Renwick, after strong pack play gave the lads a justified cushion. Selkirk pressed hard but were rare visitors to the try line due to sterling Force defence and they failed to add to their single try and three penalty goals.
The Force were very grateful to all of the very enthusiastic ballgirls and boys who were hugely helpful and will be welcomed back anytime.
Without doubt the man of the match accolade must go to Rab C Linton. He left the Force over two years ago as a callow youth with little rugby ambition but has returned a different man, hungry, determined, strong and more than capable of moving up to the first fifteen in time. He was captain for the day and he led by the finest example.
Final score Hawick Force 20 Selkirk A 16
Rory Bannerman
