Tennents Shield
Berwick..........11, Selkirk.............17
Selkirk, the only team to have appeared at the Murrayfield finals in each of the three years of the event, achieved their best result to date by winning the Tennents Shield to follow their Bowl victory last year and their runners-up position in the third-tier competition in 1996.
Yet for all that they looked the classier team, Selkirk somehow contrived to lose this match with moments of madness that put unnecessary pressure on themselves.
However, in the end their determination to move the ball wide and to use their skilful backs paid off with a late try by centre Cameron Cochrane to win the match.
''We started badly as we have done in all our games this season, but once we put together a few passages of continuity rugby, the confidence came flowing back,'' admitted Paul Minto, the Selkirk flanker and captain.
It was the opposite for Berwick, whose bigger forwards were in the ascendancy early on in the game. A try by winger Colin Young from a neat chip by scrum half Mark Lee, one of the stars of the impressive Berwick side, gave the English club the lead with just three minutes of the game gone.
Their scoreline was increased with two first-half penalty goals from stand-off Mike Hindhaugh, but thereafter Berwick could register no more points.
It was enough to give Berwick the half-time lead but by one point only, Selkirk having scored in the first half with a penalty goal by Guy Blair and the stand-off's conversion of a try by Mike Jaffray.
Selkirk's better use of substitution and their more skilful handling pointed the way to eventual victory, but the Border side urged on by the towns Silver Band kept their fans waiting before Scotland Under-21 cap Alastair Dickson launched the attack that ended with Cochrane touching down in the corner and Blair adding the conversion.
Scorers: Berwick Hindhaugh 2p, Young 1t Selkirk Blair 2c1p, Jaffray 1t , Cochrane 1t
Berwick - B McCreath; A Lynn (M Broadbent 62), T McCreath, D Meakin, C Young; M Hindhaugh, M Lee; K Jackson, W Barton, G Holborn, G Younger, J Simmons, W Moor (T Sanderson 60), S Gilchrist, N Williamson (captain).
Selkirk - D Hunter; D Hulme, C Cochrane, A Dickson, M Jaffray(D Anderson 55); G Blair, G Thomson; S McColm, D Hogan (E Robbie 40), J Reihana, K McConnell (A Linton 40), M Barnett (D Cameron 40), M Mairns, A Mabon (B Gentleman 60), P Minto (captain).
Referee - K Harrower (Forrester FP).
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