First visit for Rochdale ends in a last minute win for the visiting side

Selby welcomed a first ever visit to Sandhill Lane for Rochdale looking to get back to winning way’s after defeat at Goole last time out.

Prior to the early KO of 2.15 pm the Selby u11s played a curtain raiser against Doncaster and had a great time seeing what Senior rugby is all about. They saw the set up on the changing rooms, took the opportunity to run out of the tunnel on to the 1st team pitch and enjoyed a warm up session with some of the 1st team players. Forming a guard of honour for the players to run through and then supporting from the sidelines will be a memorable experience for them and hopefully they will be representing Selby in a few years to come!

Conditions were similar with a greasy surface making the ball slippery and handling difficult for both sides. Rochdale were first to make an attempt to open with two kicks to the corner that Selby repelled comfortably till Rochdale knocked on. A clearance kick following a scrum resulted in two penalties that then took Selby into the opposition twenty two where quick movement to the far corner saw Matty Lodge touch down and Henry Wright convert for a 7-0 lead after ten minutes.

Rochdale then had a period of pressure in the home 22 till an interception from Joe Ramsay put him on a clear run to score, unfortunately he was pulled back as he neared half way by the referee who awarded a penalty to Rochdale that Collins kicked for three points.

Selby suffered a blow on twenty one minutes when Bob Robinson was yellow carded and following sustained pressure with a try for Howard converted by Collins. Selby's forwards kept the game tight during Robinsons absence and also till half time with numerous pick and drives with Hogan and Wotton to the fore.

A half time scoreboard of Selby 7 Rochdale 10 saw Charlie Bramley and Harrison Green replace Matt Lodge and Sean Campbell. Selby then went further behind when Rochdale’s winger intercepted a pass as Selby attacked the Rochdale line a kick to the try line as he was chased down was fielded by Selby who had greater numbers back. Unfortunately the same winger pcollected a pop pass three metres out to touch down for a try that was converted to the delight of the large number of Lancastrian fans. Selby responded with two more interchanges and three minutes later the reward was a try as Archie Bennet took advantage of free ball to dart through a gap and feed Joe Ramsay who slid in at the corner for a try, the conversion hitting the post and staying out.

Selby continued to attack the game turning down two kicks at goal to go for the corner and were rewarded as multiple phases from left to right and back left saw Ramsay gaining a second touch-down for 17-20. More well thought interchanges saw Selby gain superiority up front and following a penalty kick to the corner, an infringement at the line out saw Selby opt for a scrum that looked likely for a try till it collapsed with Rochdale’s second row yellow carded. A reset scrum resulted in clean ball and the extra numbers told as Wright strolled through a gap for Selby to retake the lead with two minutes to go.

A clean take from kick off secured possession but Selby were penalised for holding on on the ten metre line. Rochdale attempted to bring on their goal kicking stand-off, the referee correctly ruling against and centre Johnson kicked the penalty for a 22-23 victory to Rochdale.

A good game of rugby with a large crowd boosted by the Selby under 11’s who had played their Doncaster counterparts in a curtain raiser. Next week sees a difficult trip to Scarborough as Selby slip to third in the table.

Elsewhere, the seconds led 14-0 at Wetherby after ten minutes with tries by Ollie Weston and James Hunt both converted by Harry Cruise before going down 29-14. The 3rd XV played against Dinnington and won and on Sunday the Ladies XV played Ossett and beat them by 41-24. Another fantastic weekend of rugby.