Selby clocked up another big win at home on Saturday against usual toughies Bradford Salem, and while the score-line correctly indicates this as a comfortable win, the Swans gave a rather disjointed display from last week’s excellence and left a lot of unscored points out on the paddock.

Unavailability in the pack brought in two ‘new’ props for Selby, including the venerable Andrew Tunningley, but to no detriment as the Swans mullered Salem at the first scrum and then worked the ball back and forth in the backs before second row skipper Ash Parkinson crossed from short range for 7-0. And soon after it was 14-0 as, after a good break by winger James ‘Bob’ Robinson, fly-half Henry Wright grubbered through for centre Alex Webster to collect and send in full-back and top try scrounger Olly Turvey for the try.

With Salem struggling to compete with Selby’s pace and movement the Swans had a stack of good ball to play with, but they became guilty of overplaying their hand somewhat with some unnecessary over-elaboration, when simple ‘hands’ into the wide-open spaces may have been a better option? Still, what do I know as Wright ‘over-elaborated’ again to chip through for replacement back Tomasi Tanumi to collect and send in second rower Jack Hebden for 19-0, still within the first quarter.

Salem have struggled this season with player availability and while this may have showed in their organisational play, no one can doubt their commitment - and when Selby turned over their ball at the restart they moved it well and then recycled for Sam Dunn to slice clean through Selby’s backline to raise their spirits, and the score, to 19-7. Selby continued to press though and came close again as left winger George Stoker broke right and then sent big Bob on his way again, to be finally downed inches short after a storming run. With Selby continuing to ‘fail to execute’, a number of good chances went begging before, after another penalty to Salem, Selby restored a measure of accuracy to reflect the half’s play as scrum-half Danny Wilkinson squeezed in from close range for 26-10.

Selby continued to dominate possession and territory throughout the second half, with their scrummage winning ball, and penalties, almost at will - but their profligacy continued likewise as chance after chance failed to trouble the scoreboard, as they became victims of their own over-eagerness and failure to control the ball. Salem then completely undid themselves by mysteriously deciding not to compete in the slightest at another Selby lineout - allowing Parkinson to bemusedly stroll over for his second try of the day.

And a final varnish was added to the score-line right at the end after, initially showing the footballing skills of Carlton Palmer on one kick chase, big Bob had more success in chasing down a second, for a final score of 36-10.