PEEBLES battled hard for more than 40 minutes on Saturday in the opening Bookers Border League clash.

But a yellow card for Greg Raeburn following a high tackle, saw Peebles slump to defeat with Jordan McGowan scoring in injury time, and adding three more in a six-try triumph.

However, coach Ewen Robbie, formerly with Selkirk, was positive after the outcome as he and Drew Moore aim to drive Peebles ahead when the season starts in earnest at the end of the month.

“We are looking to improve on last season. We had quite a few players off and we have lost one to Gala,” he said. “Ryan McConnell is back, although he did not play in this match.

“Despite the score, I am happy where we are. We have ambition and have been working on structures (pre-season). Our scrum was pretty good and we have to be positive about the future.

“We will try and build on last season. It is a new challenge and I am really looking forward to it.” McGowan, who moved north from south of the border for family reasons, scored only one try last season – the last game of the season at Aberdeen.

On Saturday, he scored four, three in quick succession before and after the interval, as Selkirk stepped up their game.

Peebles stuck in, losing ground to a rampant home side, but were rewarded with tries from Jack Harrison and Neil Hogarth, Mitch McGahan converting both; yet they never recovered from that yellow card dished out by referee Gordon Corry.

McGowan took advantage of the extra man to score and add to Callum Marshall’s (who also scored later) opening score for a 14-0 interval lead.

It was McGowan again after the break and the same player almost immediately took the game out of Peebles’ reach.

Harrison closed the gap before McGowan added to the pressure, and then Hogarth and Marshall exchanged tries.

Cameron Ring and Josh Welsh shared the Selkirk conversion points.

Selkirk: J Welsh; L MacLennan, C MacDougall, R Nixon, F Anderson; C Ring, M Davies; C Graur, J Bett, F Tetart, J McGowan, S McDonald, E MacDougall, M Gordon, C Marshall. Replacements: S Tough, D Allan, A Renwick, K Cooney, R Wilson.

Peebles: G Raeburn; N Hogarth, R Clinch, C Pye, J Harrison; M McGahan, D Anderson; A Brown, G Pringle, G Turner, R Brown, W Brown, L Brink, R Harrison, K Brown. Replacements: W Napier, R Stewart, J Dow, R Wilson, A Muir.

Selkirk: J. Welsh; L. MacLennan, C. MacDougall, R. Nixon, F. Anderson; C. Ring, M. Davies; C. Graur, J. Bett, F. Tetart, J. McGowan, S. McDonald, E. MacDougall, M. Gordon, C. Marshall. Replacements: S. Tough, D. Allan, A. Renwick, K. Cooney, R. Wilson.

Peebles: G. Raeburn; N. Hogarth, R. Clinch, C. Pye, J. Harrison; M. McGahan, D. Anderson; A. Brown, G. Pringle, G. Turner, R. Brown, W. Brown, L. Brink, R. Harrison, K. Brown. Replacements: W. Napier, R. Stewart, J. Dow, R. Wilson, A. Muir.