Selby RUFC 20 - 35 Bridlington RUFC

Report by Ray Adamson

A generally inexperienced Selby team put in a promising performance against table-topping Bridlington before going down to a 35 points to 20 defeat in blustery conditions at Sandhill Lane.

Selby played into the breeze first and soon found themselves under pressure, conceding two early penalties which enabled the Bridlington Full Back Ben Dearing to give his side a 6 point advantage after just 13 minutes. Within a couple of minutes the visitors extended their lead when, following a scrum on the Selby 10 metre line the Bridlington three quarters broke away down the right flank to create the chance for Winger Gary Stevens to cross for a try which Dearing also converted.

As Bridlington returned to the attack immediately from the re-start it appeared that Selby were in for a tough afternoon but things took a turn for the better for the home side when Full Back George Stoker scored an excellent individual try after 18 minutes. A wayward touch kick from the Selby line was collected by the Bridlington centre on the Selby 22 and his wayward pass into midfield was pounced upon by the advancing Selby players. The ball was hacked to the right hand side of the pitch around half way and Selby's young Full Back showed tremendous pace to get to the ball first. An excellent pick up and a fantastic turn of pace saw him easily outpace the covering defence to cross wide out on the right. Unfortunately Josh Cruise was unable to add the conversion but Selby finally had a foothold in the game.

Within 5 minutes Cruise managed to reduce the deficit to 5 points at 8-13 courtesy of a penalty awarded against the visitors for not releasing the player in the tackle and with 27 minutes gone Stoker's pace again caused problems for the Bridlington defence with another strong run. However the attack came to nothing and it was Bridlington who had the next scoring opportunity in the 33rd minute, but Dearing's kick at goal from 35 metres drifted wide of the right hand upright. There was to be no let up for the home defence as Bridlington opened the gap just a minute later when a miss-directed drop out from the 22 fell into the arms of the visiting three quarters who again broke incisively down the right flank to engineer a try for James Martin which Dearing again failed to convert. Selby were then fortunate not to go further behind, when after 37 minutes the referee judged the Bridlington right winger to be offside when an excellent cross kick from the game's outstanding player, the visitor's Kiwi Fly Half, found his team mate in acres of space with a clear run to the line. Reaching the half time break at just 18-8 down, Selby had justification for feeling that, with the conditions in their favour in the second half, they were very much still in the game.

From the re-start Bridlington took command of proceedings and deservedly scored another try after 50 minutes when slick handling and clever support running by the backs opened up the Selby defence with Steve Mellonby finishing off the move for a converted try which opened the visitors' advantage to 25 points to 8. Selby three quarters then showed they were not to be outdone and a sublime break from Alex Hare left the Bridlington defence for dead and his well timed pass saw Sam Cruise with a clear run under the posts which brother Josh converted to restore the 8 point deficit with 25 minutes still to play. Shortly afterwards Selby were reduced to 14 when Scrum Half Andy McLoughlin was adjudged to have tackled his opposite number late and was shown a yellow card. The visitors took advantage of their numerical advantage within a couple of minutes when a line-out take 15 minutes from the Selby line was quickly spread wide and Will Davies crossed by the corner flag for the bonus point try and a 30-15 lead. Worse was to follow as the visitors eased further ahead whilst Selby were still a man down when a catch and drive at a Line-out on the Selby 5 metre line saw Trent Rowlands awarded an unconverted try.

It is to Selby's great credit that they refused to buckle in the last 15 minutes and were able to have the final word in the third minute of time added on, when a tremendous surge from the forwards saw them steal a strike against the head and replacement Prop Ben Booth was driven over from 5 metres for a well deserved consolation try, leaving the final score at 35-20 in favour of a well drilled and clinical Bridlington side who consolidated their position at the top of Yorkshire 1 with their 4th straight victory.