York RUFC 65 v 12 Selby RUFC

Report by Ian Marlow

It was another tough day at the office for Selby away at York who showed exactly why they are early promotion favourites with a clinical destruction of a game but largely outclassed Swans team. There was some strange consolation for Selby though as for some part of the match they got their game together to play some of their best attacking rugby of the season to look for a while, if not exactly the better team, certainly on a par with the league leaders.

Playing down the slope it was an opportunity for Selby to exert early territorial advantage but York were having none of it, eschewing the opportunity to kick clear to simply run the ball out and keep possession until they got up to the Selby line where their powerful forwards forced the score for an early indication of what was to come. More misery followed for Selby as their injury jinx struck again with Jordan McCoy forced off with an ankle injury and then York again showing their expertise at ball retention, despite valiant Selby defence, finally working an opportunity to score out wide.

Selby then started to show some excellent attacking skills of their own, playing with a real snap and verve and some off-the-cuff plays that breached the York defensive line on a number of occasions, alas without any final result. However, the travelling fans were then treated to an excellent Selby try as an excellent Charlie McCoy turnover was taken on by Ben Lunt to give young Harry Cruise the chance to make a fine break down the left wing, before Selby showed their own recycling ability to move the ball superbly through the backs to send Ash Dallimore in at the right corner. Unfortunately normal service then resumed from York who again played keep-ball to outlast some committed Selby defending to score again to finish the half 24-5 ahead.

Selby continued with their fine attacking play up the slope at the start of the second half again causing the Minstermen some defensive problems of their own as centres Webster and Lunt combined expertly to open up a number of attacking opportunities. However, York held firm and then the dreaded injury jinx struck again with a vengeance as in short order first flanker Henry Levett, having his best game so far in first team colours, and then the excellent Webster were forced off with head injuries, followed by scrum half Danny Wilkinson with a shoulder injury leaving Selby with only fourteen men for the last 25 minutes. With a further calf injury to flanker Joel Long restricting his movement Selby were vulnerable in defence and ripe for picking off and unfortunately York were the team to do it as they simply blitzed the visitors with five tries in a ten minute spell to pass the fifty mark.

With the fulltime whistle still some way off a very humbling scoreline was looming for Selby but credit to the team that they never gave up and managed to drag themselves back into the game with some good possession play of their own. In particular, replacement scrum half Brad Lazenby, coming on in difficult circumstances played a blinder with his assured play and constant probing of the York defences. Selby’s efforts were richly rewarded with another superb try as following a midfield scrum Jamie Bingle and Scott Hunt handled beautifully to put Dallimore away again on his wing - and the he produced a devastating burst of speed up the slope to scythe through the York defence to score under the posts. Selby continued to play expansively as the game ran down and this cost them as York intercepted a loose pass to score and then finished as they started with another well worked try to leave the Swans battered, but still alive, at 65-12. While Selby were never in this game for a win, there were some thoughts that they still created enough chances, against a very good team, to have gained a four try bonus point with a little bit more luck.

Next Saturday Selby have a break from league rugby with a home fixture against Scarborough in the quarter finals of the Yorkshire Shield but any thoughts of a chance to recuperate must be discounted as the Seasiders will no doubt provide their usual stern challenge to a battered and bruised Selby team.