Selkirk 2

(aet – Selkirk won 3-2 on pens)

SCOTTISH CUP FIRST ROUND

IT promised to be a Scottish Cup thriller, and it certainly was.

The Selkirk faithful erupted at the side of the pitch at Home Park when after three and a half hours of football their side progressed to the next round of the cup.

The two teams were finally separated thanks to the performance of Selkirk goalkeeper John Dodds in the nailbiting penalty shoot-out.

The former Ayr United stopper saved penalties from Mark Bolton, Dougie Brydon and Steven Burns to put the Souters into round two – a trip to Dalbeattie Star on October 25.

Chairman Jim Moody had taken to the bar with his Coldstream counterpart as the penalties kicked off – they couldn't bear to watch.

But after hearing the crowd outside after the first two balls were struck Jim could take it no longer and rushed out to the touchlines: "I have no finger nails left," he told The Wee Paper. "Everyone is over the moon with the win, which the Selkirk team thoroughly deserved."

In a dramatic game, Selkirk seemed looked dead certs to walk away winners after 90 minutes

And Dodds played a key role from the off as he saved two close-range attempts from former team-mate Craig Tyson just two minutes into the game.

Coldstream enjoyed the best of the early stages and proved menacing around the Selkirk goal area. But in defence the hosts looked shaky and the Souters took full advantage, John Waldie scoring from a Michael Romanes corner on 22 minutes for the only goal of the opening half.

The second period began with another Coldstream chance, but the hosts were made to pay a minute later, when Romanes was again the provider with a low cross that evaded everyone bar Euan Pritchard, who beat Scott Lumsden to the ball and sidefooted in from close range. Coldstream continued to press, and with three minutes left on the clock it looked as though Selkirk had the game in the bag.

Not so, however. First, Matty Travis found his way past the visiting keeper, before Jason Inglis slotted an unexpected equaliser.

Extra time saw chances for both teams to win the game, before Dodds' intervention in the shoot-out gave Selkirk the narrowest of wins, his imposing frame denying three Coldstream strikes. Selkirk's cause was aided by great penalties from Waldie, last week's hero Lee Stephen and sub Alan Kerr, to eventually give Selkirk victory.

Dodds said: "When it comes to penalties, I put myself in a zone.

"It means a lot for us to get a cup run – I reached the semi finals with Ayr, but I wouldn't think Selkirk will get that far!"

Selkirk: Dodds, Stephen, Melvin, Wilson, Waldie, McShane (Kerr), Craggs, Mair, Munro, Pritchard, Romanes (Potts).