DONCASTER PHOENIX 27 SELBY 26

NORTHERN DIVISION YORKSHIRE LEAGUE DIVISION 2.

Despite the recent run of impressive results, Selby appeared to approach this mid table fixture with some trepidation, probably due to the loss of two key figures in off half Josh Cruise and full back Dan Porter in the run up to the game, and unfortunately it was not until the start of the second half that they lifted their heads and challenged for the game.
By then it was almost too late as they had shipped three tries, two as the result of driving mauls, a tactic that they appeared unable to deal with throughout the game, and it was only the kicking of No 8, Ben Booth with three penalties that kept them remotely in touch.
Another blow came with the loss of abrasive back row James Blaymire to be replaced by Tom Ambler, moving to full back & causing a reshuffle which gave the backs a more balanced look.
Yet with the talented Alex Webster stepping in to the problematic No 10 position and showing good core skills in distribution & kicking, and always looking extremely dangerous on the break the potential for the team to fire was always there.

Veteran lock, Jason Cicero started the second half and lit the fuse under the spluttering Swans and fired the forwards into action to start providing ball for the exciting young backs and within four minutes, Webster had broken through the centre & set up winger Ollie Saunders for an exciting score converted by Booth.
The quicksilver Webster then pounced on a mistake and left the Pheonix defence for dead with his run to the line, and this was quickly followed by a flowing move well finished by centre Ben Lunt to put Selby deservedly in front & seemingly in charge.
Phoenix however had other ideas and with some accurate kicking for position by their off half, Storey put Selby exactly where they did not want to be, deep in their own 22. They then laid siege to the visitor’s line with a series of scrums, lineouts and driving mauls being stopped both legally & illegally to prevent a score. Perhaps a penalty try was inevitable at some point, but when it was awarded by referee Mr Hanson Haigh, it was bizarrely for dropping a scrum as it was formed, a decision which puzzled even the most biased of home supporters. Storey’s conversion putting his side ahead by just a single point.
Having reached his eighteenth birthday, Josh Greenfield made his front row debut from the bench replacing skipper Paul Randell, but it was too late to make any impression, and Selby survived a last minute penalty attempt to complete a disappointing game.

There is so much talent within this squad that, as they have shown, they are capable of matching any team in the league if they could put all parts of their game together, and they will certainly need to be at their best for next week’s local derby against a resurgent Goole team, whose season is always complete with a defeat of their arch rivals.
As much support as possible is needed to travel across the Wild East Riding and get behind this exciting young team in this vital fixture.

SELBY LINE-UP:

15 Full Back Lunt B
14 Wing Lamb K
13 Centre Arthur A
12 Centre Robinson J
11 Wing Saunders O
10 Stand Off Webster A
9 Scrum Half Butcher J
1 Prop Hardy D
2 Hooker Randell P (Captain)
3 Prop Bell T
4 Lock Lanaghan B
5 Lock Hirst J
6 Flanker Blaymire J
7 Flanker Brown K
8 No 8 Booth B

Substitutes

Ambler T (For Blaymire J – 17 Minutes)
Cicero J (For Hirst J – 40 Minutes)
Greenfield J (For Randell P – 73 Minutes)