NORTHERN DIVISION - YORKSHIRE LEAGUE DIVISION 1.
SELBY RUFC 21 – 22 YORK RUFC

Referee – Mr. Chris Lunn – East Yorkshire Society

Despite putting in a much improved performance than that at Pontefract last Saturday, Selby suffered an agonising defeat against York on Saturday, conceding 12 points in the last 6 minutes of the game and lost for the third time this season by a one point margin. Selby played as well as they have all season in the first quarter of the game and had a 15 points to 10 advantage at the break – they extended this to 21 points to 10 until the 78th minute when they conceded an unconverted try – four minutes into added-on-time they conceded another try in the last play of the game – up to this point York had failed to convert any of their tries or penalties but to the delight of the York supporters the conversion sailed through the posts to give them a bonus point win and leave Selby reflecting on what might have been.

Second row Tom Cobley made a welcome return to the squad replacing the unavailable Charlie Cicero on the bench. Andrew Pocklington was back in the staring line up at prop with Tom Bell starting on the bench - Rihi Brown started at number 8 after missing the last 3 games through injury. Sam Cruise started his first game for some time at hooker with Sam Weller back at centre.

Selby missed the chance to take the lead after only 2 minutes when York were penalised for hands in the ruck but Josh Cruise made amends 2 minutes later with a successful penalty kick. York were finding it difficult to get any possession at this stage of the game. They did have possession on the Selby 30 metre line after 7 minutes but Selby turned them over with full back Dan Porter making inroads into York territory with centre Sam Weller taking a difficult pass before releasing winger Alex Hare to streak over the line for a Selby try – Cruise converted to give Selby a 10 points to nil lead. York reduced their arrears after 12 minutes with a tactic that was to prove costly for Selby throughout the game – a penalty to the Selby 5 metre line resulted in a successful line-out for the York forwards who drove over the Selby try line with number 8 Steve Kerr credited with the try – fly half Joe Kirker missed the conversion but the danger signs were there for Selby. Tom Cobley replaced Rihi Brown after 19 minutes going into the second row with Matthew Wood switching to number 8. Selby were still performing well with Dan Porter tackled into touch on the York 15 metre line after 22 minutes but their pressure paid off 2 minutes later after the ball was spread wide with a long miss pass going to ground but winger Alex Arthur expertly picked up and sped over the line for an unconverted try and a 15 points to 5 lead for Selby. However, York then pressurised the Selby line and, playing to their strength, scored a second ‘catch and drive’ try, flanker Lewis Hannibal credited with the try – Kirker missed the straightforward conversion. Tom Bell then replaced Andrew Pocklington at prop shortly before Josh Cruise narrowly missed a penalty chance after York were penalised for a high tackle in the 31st minute. Five minutes later Selby were down to 14 after centre Teihana Brown was yellow carded. The last action of the half saw York’s Kirker miss a very kickable penalty after 42 minutes with Selby going into the break with a 15 points to 10 advantage.

With York’s kick-off failing to go 10 metres, Selby appeared to have the early advantage at the start of the second half, but the Selby scrum was alarmingly pushed virtually all the way back to their own line – however, York then conceded a penalty to the relief of all the Selby support and the danger was cleared. Cruise then started to push York back into their own 22 with some excellent kicks to touch and it was from this pressure that York conceded a penalty which Cruise converted for an 18 points to 10 lead after 48 minutes. The referee, after much prompting, then waved the yellow carded Brown, who had been off the field for nearly 15 minutes rather than 10, back to the field of play. Another penalty from Cruise narrowly missed after 52 minutes but he successfully converted a 37 metre penalty 2 minutes later when York were caught offside and Selby were 21 points to 10 in front. Pocklington rejoined the fray after 64 minutes replacing Tom Bell but it was York who then threatened, looking odds on the score their third try but a magnificent steal from skipper Duncan Hardy on the Selby try line cleared the danger before Bell was back on for the injured skipper Hardy after 72 minutes. Another long range 43 metre penalty from Cruise after 74 minutes agonisingly hit the upright and bounced out. With time running out the York forwards upped their game after Selby conceded a needless penalty on their own 20 metre line – fairly predictably York once again kicked to touch and their catch and drive tactic worked once again with flanker Sam Thorpe this time credited with the try after 78 minutes – with Kirker having missed all his kicks York’s Hugh Nicholson tried his hand at the conversion but once again the kick was missed from wide out. York could now sniff the chance of a win and they continued to pressurise the Selby defence with Dominic Boucher yellow carded after 82 minutes – the penalty kick to touch was turned down as it was the ‘last play’ of the game – a quick tap and go saw the forwards over the try line with replacement Willem Enslin credited with the try after 84 minutes and York only 1 point in arrears with the conversion to come – Hugh Nicholson calmly slotted the conversion to whoops of delight from the York support to give York an unlikely bonus point win by 22 points to 21 and Selby a solitary losing bonus point.

Despite this defeat, there were many plusses for Selby to take from this game – all the players performed well with the York backs rarely threatening – it was the York forwards who won the game for them.

Next week Selby take a break from the League when they entertain Keighley in the 2nd Round of the Yorkshire Shield at Sandhill Lane Kick Off 2.15 P.M. When they re-commence League action on the 23rd November they travel to take on Acklam before entertaining Bridlington the week after at Sandhill Lane – these are 2 must win games to cement a place in the top half of the Yorkshire 1 table.