Selby RUFC 35 – 17 Old Crossleyans RUFC

This was an excellent all round display, and the first bonus point win of the season, by a Selby side who appear to have turned the corner. With 4 wins and 4 losses from their last 8 games, and 2 of those losses by the narrowest of margins, the hope is that they can now pull away from the relegation places in Yorkshire 1.

Selby suffered a setback as early as the first minute when second row forward, Joe Romaniw has to leave the field with, what appeared to be, a painful shoulder injury and was replaced by substitute prop forward Tom Bell. Only a minute later, Selby fell behind when they were penalised for standing up in the scrum. Crossleyans winger, Ryan Sweeney, who had almost beaten Selby single handedly, scoring 21 points in Selby’s 31 points to 10 defeat at Halifax earlier in the season, slotted the penalty for an early 3 points to nil lead. However, Selby soon gained control and penalties after 7 and 12 minutes, the first for offside and the second for ‘going over the top’, were successfully converted by fly half Scott Hunt to put the hosts 6 points to 3 in front. Selby continued to dominate, with Crossleyans incurring the wrath of the referee and conceding penalty after penalty. Eventually after 21 minutes, constant pressure from the Selby forwards resulted in the referee awarding a penalty try to Selby and an easy conversion for Hunt for a 13 points to 3 lead. More technical errors by Crossleyans saw ex Selby player and Crossleyans number 8, Sam Broughton, sent to the bin on 26 minutes. Selby capitalised only 2 minutes later after a catch and drive to the line resulted in a try for prop forward Greg Nagle after excellent work by flanker Patrick Rowntree – no conversion from Hunt but Selby seemed to have a comfortable lead at 18 points to 3. Crossleyans went down to 13 men after 32 minutes when fly half Zane Sanders was also yellow carded. With both Broughton and Sanders back on before the break, Selby failed to profit further with their superior numbers and the only other notable action of the half was a magnificent steal and break from prop forward Duncan Hardy who showed a remarkable turn of speed but the move came to nothing with Selby having an 18 points to 3 advantage at the break.

Charlie Cicero replaced Jonathan Booth at the start of the second half with Selby continuing to pressurise their opponents and having the best possible start to the half when immense forward pressure saw prop forward Duncan Hardy driven over the line for an unconverted try and a 23 points to 3 lead after 45 minutes. Crossleyans continued to battle hard and were rewarded on 49 minutes after a tap penalty on the Selby 15 metre line saw the Crossleyans forwards set up a driving maul resulting in a try for flanker Cameron Brannan – Sweeney kicked an excellent conversion to reduce Crossleyans arrears to 10 points to 23. Selby roared back and only 3 minutes later after a successful scrum on the Crossleyans 22 metre line, excellent handling and running lines saw full back Ben Lunt put winger Ashton Dallimore over for the bonus point try near the posts – Scott’s conversion gave Selby a 30 points to 10 lead. Still, Selby were not finished, increasing their lead after 58 minutes when some great inter-passing resulted in an unconverted try for full back Ben Lunt and 35 points to 10 lead – with Matthew Leetham replacing Lunt, things were to go slightly pear shaped for Selby at this stage of the game with flanker James Blaymire yellow carded after 63 minutes and Crossleyans taking full advantage shortly afterwards with a try created by their forwards for centre Chris Seymour, once again expertly converted by Sweeney, reducing Crossleyans deficit to 17 points to 35. With Booth back on for Stephen Clark and Lunt replacing Dallimore a fracas on 74 minutes resulted in yellow cards for Selby’s Tom Bell and a second yellow for Crossleyans fly half Zane Sanders – Blaymire was back on after 79 minutes having served a 16 minute yellow card penalty. Full time arrived with Selby deserved winners by 35 points to 17.

Pity other results didn’t go our way and a stiff test awaits us at North Ribblesdale next Saturday – although we beat them at Sandhill Lane they are a different proposition at home.