Selby RUFC 10 v 27 Scarborough RUFC

Yorkshire Shield Quarter Final

Report by Ian Marlow

Selby’s league travails were suspended for a week as they took on Scarborough in the quarter finals of the Yorkshire Shield at Sandhill Lane and while the final result of a loss may have had a familiar feel about it there was at least some satisfaction to be garnered from a much improved team performance that Selby will hope to build on in coming weeks.

Selby started much the stronger with their scrum well on top and after further good work by the forwards only an excellent last ditch Scarborough tackle prevented Swans wingman Ash Dallimore from escaping up his wing and opening the Selby scoring. Selby continued to dominate possession as the Seasiders, looking strangely lethargic, gifted possession back to Selby with a succession of errors and penalties. However, Selby failed to capitalise fully on the abundance of possession with only a long range penalty from Scott Hunt, after yet another great scrum earning another penalty, showing scant reward for their efforts.

Selby’s profligacy of possession was then exposes as Scarborough finally woke up and showed how to take your chances as from their first foray into Selby territory they expertly recycled the ball through numerous phases before working an opening for their wingman to score out wide to take the lead. Selby’s fragility then resurfaced as all the good work and competence of the opening half hour seemed to evaporate as an unforced error from kick off was compounded by a penalty giving plenty of free possession to Scarborough - from which they crossed under the post to suddenly take control of the match. With Selby now under the cosh, further penalties were conceded with Scarborough converting one to take a 3-15 half time lead.

The third quarter proved a poor advert for Yorkshire Shield, as well as Yorkshire League One level, rugby as both teams failed to perform with a glut of errors and lost possessions keeping play mired in midfield. A good break by Selby looked very promising but, as so often has happened this season, an almost immediate lack of composure as the ball carrier isolated himself and lost possession curtailed the opportunity. Another Selby vulnerability then came to the fore as poor tackling allowed Scarborough enough chances to be able to finally build enough phases of play to score another unconverted try.

Selby finally emerged from their own slumbers to string together a fine series of recycled possessions before the ball was expertly spread wide to Dallimore who needed none of his spring-heeled pace to simply touch down in the corner. The superb touchline conversion from Hunt brought the scores back to 10-20 providing a glimmer of hope to the Selby faithful but unfortunately this proved a false promise as slowly and inexorably Scarborough resumed control as Selby struggled to clear their lines. Selby’s forwards continued to show up well though with a series of strong and controlled forward drives but as this was all too often from a deep defensive position, the ability to use it as an attacking tool was negligible and Scarborough then rubbed salt into the Swans’ wounds with a late converted try for a slightly flattering win.

So, although another loss for Selby there were green shoots of recovery emerging as the forwards had much the better of exchanges overall up front and the backs showing that they have the potential, with a little bit more composure and consistency, to back this up with some well worked tries.

Selby return to league rugby on Saturday with a home fixture against mid-table Middlesbrough but with the Swans currently propping up the bottom, this will prove a stern test.