Driffield A 22 Selby A 24

DRIFFIELD A 22 SELBY A 24

A good many spectators, starved of first team rugby since before Christmas, travelled in support of Selby Seconds in anticipation of an interesting duel with long time friends and opponenents, Driffield. They were not disappointed as this proved to be a cracker with strong defence on both sides ensuring the game was contested to the final second.
Selby opened with some classic forward play, with big forwards, Mark Rollinson, Paul Gable, and James Blaymire hitting the line at pace, and Jon Crane, Ben Booth and Duncan Phillips ensuring possession with a fit again Russ Dovey playing in his favoured scrum half spot prompting with superbly weighted passes, things looked ominous for the home side.
Driffield, though, as expected, are a tough nut to crack, with a very well organised and resilient defence, and they conceded very little ground then a turnover gave them some respite and it was the visitors turn to feel the pain, as Driffield piled on the pressure to force them into their own 22 for an extended period.
This constant pressure paid off as from a scrum, although driven back, the ball was scooped by scrum half Farmer who fed big centre Cowpen to crash over and for off half Stockman to convert.
Selby replied immediately as rumbunctious young hooker Blaze Blaymire led the charge that was carried on by quality centre, Shaun Austerfield, almost returning to fitness, and finished by big Rollo showing his positional awareness, out on the wing.
Shortly after a further penalty stretched the Driffield lead, which was short lived as Austerfield underlined his class by romping in a wide arc for a fine individual score.
A feature of the game was some brilliant fielding of the ball under pressure from young full back Steve “ White Lightening” Whyte.

Selby started the second half much stronger and good forward play took the ball into the home 22 with Dovey finishing the move with a well executed score, with off half Jordan Barton executing an equally fine conversion.
Blaze Blaymire then bullocked forward and was illegally stopped, but Dovey,another class player, took a quick tap handed on to big Kev Lamb in off his wing, who fed the the electric Whyte to scorch in under the posts, and Barton added the extras.
The Sandhill Lane men, then appeared to get totally on the wrong side of Irish referee Mr Ivor Whystill, as a series of penalty decisions went against them, with the culmination being a score under the posts for mammoth Driffield second row P. Awker, followed by another from winger Ray Soares.
The whistle went with Selby hanging on, and with both sides content at the pace and commitment of the contest.
Team :
Steve Whyte
Alex Arthur
Shaun Austerfield
Ollie Saunders Leigh Adamson
Kev Lamb
Jordan Barton
Russ Dovey
Paul Gable
James Blaymire
Andy Tunningley Mark Tanner
Brendan Lanaghan
Mark Rollinson
Duncan Phillips
Jon Crane
Ben Booth