NORTHERN DIVISION – YORKSHIRE LEAGUE DIVISION 2
SELBY RUFC 23 – 16 WEST LEEDS RUFC

Referee – Mr. Peet T. Daniel – Northumbria Society (Exchange)

Prior to the game, with the Selby RUFC and the Yorkshire RFU flags flying at half mast, there was an impeccable minutes silence in memory of a Selby RUFC legend, Oliver Grieveson, who died on February 15 aged 83. After starting his rugby career at Selby, Oliver went on to play for Headingley and represented Yorkshire on many occasions and many thought he was desperately unlucky never to represent his Country. He also held Senior Posts with the RFU and the Yorkshire RFU and has been associated with Selby for many, many years.

The game itself failed to live up to expectations with 2nd placed Selby hosting 4th placed West Leeds with both sides unnecessarily kicking away possession on numerous occasions with Selby having particular difficulty in throwing in straight at the line-out. Selby had to re-organise prior to kick off with Matthew Wood still unfit. The ever reliable Mark Toye came into the side in the second row with Karim Brown switching to flanker. Few in the large Selby contingent of supporters realised that Rob Triffitt, Karim Brown and Martin Protheroe were all feeling unwell with flu symptoms but all 3 took to the field of play in the Selby cause. Had Selby taken 2 gilt edged chances to score tries in the early stages of the game when poor final passes to the wing with the try line beckoning and no defenders to beat went to ground, Selby may have won this game comfortably but as it was, to the home supporters at least, the result was in doubt until the final whistle. However, Selby did enough to win the game despite trailing at half time by 13 points to 10 and finally triumphed by 23 points to 16.

West Leeds played with the deceptively strong breeze at their backs in the first half and took the lead through a penalty by fly half Scott Evans in the 9th minute after Selby were penalised for not rolling away from the tackle. Selby replied after 17 minutes with full back Dan Porter’s 21st try of the season after Selby had declined a penalty kick at goal – a quick tap penalty resulted in Porter being the recipient of some excellent back play to run round under the posts for a straightforward conversion. West Leeds reduced their arrears only 2 minutes later when the Selby defence allowed the West Leeds kick off to find touch deep in the Selby half – Selby’s lineout throw was adjudged ‘not straight’ and from the resultant scrum won by West Leeds the ball found Scott Evans in a central position who calmly dropped the goal. Selby lost their narrow lead after 32 minutes when Selby’s defence failed to clear the ball from the 5 metre line and gifted possession to West Leeds with flanker Steve Anderson touching down for the try and with an excellent conversion by Evans, West Leeds took a 13 points to 7 lead. A Josh Cruise penalty in added-on time at the end of the half resulted in a 3 point cushion for West Leeds at the break.

Selby nearly went further behind in the first minute of the second half when they were penalised for holding on but the normally reliable boot of Evans failed on this occasion. Josh Cruise tied the scores up 3 minutes later with a penalty before repeating the dose in the 51st minute to put Selby back in front by 16 points to 13. In the 56th minute, Selby once again surprised West Leeds with another tap penalty after spurning the chance of 3 points with Alex Webster scoring a superb try after good work by scrum half Jack Daniels and Cruise – with Cruise adding the extras Selby now had a 10 point advantage at 23 points to 13. Another Evans penalty miss didn’t help the West Leeds cause after 60 minutes but he made amends after 72 minutes with a successful effort to bring his side to within 1 score of Selby. With the game becoming more and more fractious and with West Leeds unnecessarily kicking away possession on a couple of occasions, Cruise failed with a difficult penalty chance after 78 minutes but Selby then did enough to repel any West Leeds threat to win the game but failed to take a bonus point – they still hold onto 2nd spot in Yorkshire 2 courtesy of having 1 more win than Yarnbury and a far better points difference despite being on the same number of points.

Next week, Selby travel to Northumberland and Durham Division 1 side Blyth, in the second of their Pool fixtures in the Senior Vase. A win should see them gain home advantage in the quarter final of the competition to be played on Saturday 16 March. Selby’s League campaign will continue with a visit to West Park Leeds on Saturday 2 March.