After a short break from league action and a chance to recharge, Selby’s First XV and travelling supporters made the short trip to Wetherby — a club who have steadily worked their way up the leagues and were welcoming Selby for the first time.

As has become their trademark, Selby started fast. A charge down by Alex Webster deep in the Wetherby 22 led to an early penalty, kicked to the corner. From the lineout, Finlay Wotton secured clean ball and Antun Wilson caught the hosts napping with a well-timed run from the back, crashing over near the corner flag. The conversion drifted wide, but Selby were ahead inside four minutes.

Wetherby responded with intent, twice going close — first denied by a strong Wilson turnover, then held up by determined Selby defence. They eventually found an overlap to score an unconverted try, before adding a second shortly after to take the lead.

Recently engaged, birthday boy and former Wetherby player Liam Hogan entered the fray to replace Wotton, greeted warmly by both sets of supporters. Selby hit back almost immediately. Sean Campbell won clean lineout ball, the back row carried strongly, and scrum-half Bennett found captain Webster with a sharp inside pass to slice through for the try. Ben Poskitt’s conversion restored Selby’s lead.

The hosts replied again with a skilful offload move finished out wide (conversion missed), before Selby closed the half with another score. From a penalty near the line, Hogan’s pick-and-go was illegally stopped; quick thinking saw the tap taken, and the ball shifted wide for winger Dan Evans to dive over. The missed conversion made it 17–15 to Selby at the break.

Second-half changes saw Hogan and Wotton swap again, while Ben Sibley and Ben Parker made way for Andy Tunningley and a newly-shaven Noah Athraby. Despite early Selby pressure, Wetherby struck with a length-of-the-field effort after sustained possession, reclaiming the lead with the try of the day.

A further unconverted score stretched the gap before Selby hit back almost instantly. From the restart, James Bramley surged 30 metres before offloading to Poskitt, who was hauled down just short. After a penalty and a solid scrum platform, the ball was worked wide for Athraby to touch down unopposed. Poskitt added the extras — 25–24 and game on.

Selby earned a penalty from the next kick-off after a player was taken out in the air, setting up another attack in the Wetherby half. But a long throw went astray, Wetherby pounced, and a quick counter stretched the defence for a converted try.

With ten minutes remaining, skipper Webster was forced off injured, and Wetherby managed the closing stages well. A late penalty sealed a 35–24 win for the hosts.

Selby took one point for scoring four tries but will rue injuries and missed chances. With a week off next weekend as England face New Zealand at Twickenham, the Swans return to Sandhill Lane on November 22 to host bottom-of-the-table Doncaster Phoenix.

David Everatt