YORK RUFC 23 – 16 SELBY RUFC

Report by Ray Adamson

Despite missing out in an absorbing and closely contested local derby, there were many plusses in the Selby performance which again saw them awarded a losing bonus point, having finished the game only 7 points adrift.

Selby began the game at terrific pace and but for some terrific defence by the Home side could well have scored tries on a couple of occasions in the first 10 minutes. Ben Lunt was first to be denied after just 2 minutes when he was bundled into touch close to the corner flag following a clean Line-out take and slick handling by Alex Webster in the Centre. Within a minute opposite wing Jack Guest was also tackled into touch short of the line after ball from a Scrum in Selby's favour was spread wide.

Against the run of play York were able to take the initiative after 10 minutes when they were awarded a penalty on their first real attack and full back John Dawes successfully converted the first of 5 kicks in a personal haul of 18 points. Although York hammered away at the Selby defence following this early boost, the Selby rearguard held firm and were on level terms after 28 minutes when a penalty awarded against the home side for offside was successfully converted by fly half Cody Whittaker. This was to signal a purple patch for the visitors who opened up a 10 point lead in the space of just 5 minutes. A terrific run by Guest caused mayhem in the York defence, hooker Duncan Hardy was first to the breakdown and did excellent work to retain possession and feed prop Tom Bell who crashed over in the corner. A terrific touchline conversion by Whittaker was the icing on the cake and after just a further 3 minutes the gap was widened to 10 points when Whittaker converted his third successful kick.

As the half time approached York hit back with a try of their own. A high kick into Selby territory was fumbled and knocked on and from the ensuing scrum second row forward Dave Bates drove over the Selby line, helped by some ineffectual tackling by the Selby defenders in front of him. Dawes hit an excellent conversion from close to touch to narrow the gap to just 3 points at the break.

Just as Selby had done at the outset, York began the second half with tremendous energy and within 3 minutes of the re-start had regained the lead. A brilliant piece of individual skill by winger Cakaunitabua set up Dawes for a run in under the sticks and the full back's straightforward conversion gave the home side a 4 point advantage. As York returned to the attack another score seemed inevitable and after 52 minutes the Selby defence were again caught offside and Dawes kicked the simple penalty from in front of the sticks.

As the game entered the final quarter Selby began to pressurise the York defence and were celebrating a try by replacement prop Rob Bourke, only to have their hopes dashed when the referee decided that he had been responsible for obstructing a would-be tackler and cancelled the “score”. However Selby were soon rewarded for their efforts when a penalty, conceded for going in at the side of a ruck, gave Whittaker the chance to hit his fourth successful kick of the afternoon and reduced the gap to just 4 points.

Unfortunately for the visitors York were to have the final word through their influential full back Dawes who struck the last successful kick of the afternoon on 75 minutes following an illegal tackle by one of the Selby defenders. Despite further pressure Selby were unable to force any further errors from the York defence and were too often unable to make the correct decision or execute the accurate pass that might have brought the score they so desperately sought.