In a hard-fought and tense local derby away against Goole on Saturday Selby looked good for the win for most of the match, before ending up hanging on for the draw as their opponents staged a strong fightback to finish by far the stronger.

Both teams came in to the match with strong recent records and a close game was expected, and so it proved as both sides went at it hammer and tongs from the outset, and there was no let up for the full eighty minutes – with the miserly £3 entrance fee good value indeed for the bumper crowd!

Selby started off strongly with their, by now usual, scrum dominance giving them plenty of quality ball for them to play their usual expansive game, and they did it with quite some aplomb stretching the Goole defence down both flanks. However, Goole’s defence was up to it with some fantastic tackling, allied to excellent work at the breakdowns, keeping the Swans at bay. And then after Hogan had departed for ten minutes in the bin for too much ‘hammer’, Goole exposed Selby’s own defensive frailties around the ruck for No 8 Townend to simply stroll over from 20 metres for 7-0.

A great break upfield by Bob Robinson gave Duncan Hardy the chance to put Joe Ramsay in for a certain try in reply, but again another fantastic cover tackle saved the line for Goole – but the field position wasn’t wasted as the forwards won a lineout and rumbled forward, for the recently returned Hogan to peel off and dot down for 7-7. And so the game continued in entertaining fashion with Selby enjoying the lion’s share of possession and territory and playing some good attacking stuff – and Goole fighting tooth and nail to keep them out. However, Goole had little answer to Selby’s scrummaging power and another scrum gave the platform for Hogan to launch himself over again, with Wright converting for a 7-14 lead.

Goole are a tough bunch though and right back they came, turning over Selby’s ball yet again, and then exposing some weak inside shoulder defence up the middle yet again (someone is having a rest!), for Robson Jones to cross again for 12-14 at half-time.

Selby continued to dominate proceedings after the restart and used their scrum and lineout superiority to batter the Goole line, but the men in blue managed to hang on in there with more ferocious defence, including denying Hogan his hat-trick by holding him up over the line. Another yellow card to Ibbetson gave Goole a breather, but not for long as the Swans pack went to work again at another line out to drive Hardy over for a 12-19 lead, and seemingly the makings of a comfortable win?

It was not to be though as for the last twenty minutes it was all Goole as they simply outfought and out-thought Selby in every aspect, apart from the ever-dependable Swans scrum! As Goole ramped up the pressure, Selby crumbled with their defensive line having more holes than a Swiss cheese - through which the Goole attack kept scampering with increasing regularity. Only a clever interception gamble from an isolated and out-manned Hardy out wide prevented another Goole score (or a penalty try and yellow card against himself if he got it wrong) - but it was to little avail as Goole simply stole back the ball at the next breakdown for Goole’s Man of the Match Townend to score his second to level at 19-19. Goole could have won it at the end but a long-range penalty fell just short before Mr Referee blew for time with the spoils shared.

Selby now take on Roundhegians away on Saturday in a re-arranged league match, kick off 3pm.