Selby RUFC, riding the momentum of three consecutive wins in their battle against relegation, faced a tough test with a trip to Heath – a side boasting an unbeaten home record. Adding extra significance to the occasion, the match marked Jamie Dentith’s 100th cap for the club, a proud milestone for the influential forward.

The match began at a frenetic pace, with Selby immediately forced onto the defensive. Just two minutes in, they successfully held up an early Heath try attempt, setting the tone for a fiercely contested battle. However, Selby soon found their attacking rhythm. A spilled ball led to a clever piece of footballing skill from Tom Scholefield, with Archie Bennett linking up well to send Charlie Bramley over in the left corner. The conversion was missed, but Selby had the early advantage after just five minutes.

The hosts responded with intent, and Selby were forced to dig deep once again as the Scholefield duo combined to hold up another Heath try in the 10th minute. However, Selby’s resilience was broken moments later when a misjudged pass from a lineout gifted Heath possession. A clever kick-through was pounced on, and Heath’s No. 10 added the conversion for a 7-5 lead.

The home side then took full control. A penalty for a high tackle allowed Heath to work the ball wide, their winger finishing neatly in the corner. The No. 10 continued his flawless kicking display, slotting the conversion from a tight angle. A Selby knock-on from the restart then handed Heath a scrum deep in Selby’s half, and when another penalty was conceded, their fly-half duly added three points from 30 yards to make it 14-5 after 25 minutes.

Selby’s defensive discipline wavered as the half progressed. A crunching tackle from Charlie Bramley briefly halted Heath’s momentum, but a high tackle from Ibbetson resulted in a yellow card. Selby’s woes continued as they lost possession at a defensive scrum, allowing Heath’s forwards to drive over under the posts. The No. 10 added another simple conversion, extending the lead to 24-5.

Things went from bad to worse before halftime. A penalty for a high tackle led to a slick passage of play from Heath, with their rapid No. 12 exploiting gaps in Selby’s line to score. Another perfect conversion made it 31-5 at the break.

Selby came out firing in the second half, determined to claw their way back into contention. James Bramley showcased his agility, skipping through three tackles to cross the whitewash. Henry Wright added the extras to give the visitors a glimmer of hope at 31-12. The resurgence continued as Max Wotton powered over after a period of sustained pressure on the Heath line, Wright’s boot narrowing the deficit to 31-19.

However, Heath were in no mood to let their unbeaten home record slip. They responded swiftly, working through the phases before their winger dotted down on the left. The missed conversion left the score at 36-19, but they soon reasserted dominance with another well-executed forward try, converted once more to stretch the margin to 43-19.

Selby’s frustrations boiled over when Tom Scholefield received a yellow card for a dump tackle, and Heath wasted little time in capitalising on the numerical advantage. Their fly-half pulled the strings brilliantly, orchestrating a two-on-one overlap for another try, extending the score to 48-24.

Selby weren’t finished just yet, though, and the best was saved for last. Hola Vea produced a moment of sheer brilliance, breaking through the Heath line before offloading out the back to Charlie Bramley. Cutting inside two defenders, Bramley chipped over the fullback, chased his own kick, and dived over for what could be a try-of-the-season contender. The conversion went wide, but Selby had one final highlight to savour.

Any hopes of a late rally were extinguished as Heath’s No. 12 once again demonstrated his electric pace. Although Max Wotton produced a heroic chase-down tackle, Heath calmly recycled possession, spreading the ball wide to score on the left. A fantastic touchline conversion put the finishing touch on an impressive 55-24 victory for the home side.

Despite a spirited effort, Selby were left to rue costly tries conceded while down to 14 men. However, their attacking ambition and flashes of brilliance will provide confidence as they continue their fight for survival. Next week, they travel to Scunthorpe looking to bounce back and keep their survival hopes alive.