NORTHERN DIVISION YORKSHIRE LEAGUE DIVISION 1.
ACKLAM RUFC 9 – 40 SELBY RUFC

Referee – Mr. George Shield – North Yorkshire Society

Selby got back to winning ways in Yorkshire 1 at the expense of basement Club Acklam, consolidating their 9th position in the League. A fairly uninspiring 1st half ended at 6 points apiece, both sides kicking 2 penalty goals. A strong second half display from Selby saw them run in 6 tries, 2 of which were converted to a solitary penalty goal from Acklam giving Selby a bonus point 40 points to 9 victory.

Andrew Pocklington came back into the side at prop with skipper Duncan Hardy on the bench. With both Josh Cruise and Matthew Wood joining Selby’s long list of injured players, Dan Porter took over at fly half with Ben Lunt switching from the wing to full back – Jacob Shellis came into the side on the wing with Iain Adamson at centre in place of Sam Weller. The experienced Duncan Phillips started his second consecutive game at flanker alongside the returning Charlie Cicero and Martin Protheroe. Alex Oliver and Stephen Clark joined Hardy on the bench.

Acklam took an early lead after 3 minutes with a penalty from their fly half Daniel Ashton but Selby were soon level with a Dan Porter penalty after 9 minutes. Selby had to re-organise 4 minutes later after young Charlie Cicero had to be stretchered from the field with suspected ligament damage to his ankle to be replaced after a lengthy stoppage by Alex Oliver. Play continued with both sides unable to capitalise on their possession until the 26th minute when Acklam went back in front with another penalty from Ashton. Selby suffered yet another injury worry with centre Alex Arthur having to be substituted by Stephen Clark 3 minutes into added on time. The last play of the half saw Selby back on level terms with another Dan Porter penalty – the teams went into the break at 6 points apiece in a half that, in terms of territorial advantage, Acklam certainly had the ‘lion’s share’.

The second half couldn’t have started better for Selby after a magnificent break by prop Andrew Pocklington and a turn of speed belying his years put number 8 Martin Protheroe over for an unconverted try. From the Acklam re-start, a superb take by second row Brendan Lanaghan enabled him to offload to fly half Dan Porter who scored another of his trademark individual tries – another missed conversion but Selby were now in front by 16 points to 6 after 42 minutes. Another penalty from Ashton saw Acklam reduce their arrears after 45 minutes with Selby being further disrupted 2 minutes later with a yellow card for hooker Sam Cruise. However, this had little effect on Selby who went further in front after 54 minutes after Protheroe picked up from the base of a Selby scrum offloading to full back Ben Lunt who, once again, showed how well he is capable of finishing with a try near the posts – Porter converted to put Selby in front by 23 points to 9. With Cruise back on, Selby profited from a five metre scrum after Protheroe was hauled down inches from the line with scrum half Neil Francis picking up and scoring a welcome first try for Selby after 62 minutes – no conversion but a lead of 28 points to 9 and a bonus point in the bag. After 70 minutes, another try for Selby and another excellent individual effort from Porter put the result beyond doubt despite the conversion being missed from under the posts. To their credit Acklam kept plugging away and were pressurising the Selby line in the closing stages but possession was turned over, the ball reaching Porter who, totally against the run of play, once again scored a wonderful opportunist try, under the posts, to give himself an easy conversion and Selby a 40 points to 9 win.