SELBY RUFC 25 – 10 BRIDLINGTON RUFC

Report by Ray Adamson

A blistering start to the game saw Selby put themselves into a winning position after just 15 minutes as the visitors struggled to match the intensity of the Selby forward play and the running skills of the Selby backs. A penalty after 3 minutes for not releasing at the tackle gave Bridlington an early lead but Selby hit straight back and following a powerful surge by number 8 Martin Protheroe to within a metre of the line, fly half Cody Whittaker was given the chance to level the scores with a straightforward penalty, again awarded for not releasing at the tackle.

Just 8 minutes were on the clock when Selby took a lead that they were not to relinquish as scrum half Neil Francis showed great alertness in stealing the ball from the back of a Bridlington scrum to release Whittaker. The fly half's perfectly weighted pass brought winger Jack Guest on a typically strong run and having breached the Bridlington defence Alex Webster was given the scoring pass to run round under the posts to give Whittaker a simple kick and Selby a 7 point advantage. Full back Josh Cruise was the next player to get his name on the score sheet when he struck a superb penalty from close to half way after the referee adjudged a Bridlington player holding onto the ball in the tackle after 11 minutes.

A Bridlington kick deep into Selby territory on the quarter of an hour mark was the catalyst for another sparkling move from the Selby backs as the ball was quickly moved wide to skipper Dan Porter. In a flash he had spotted a gap in the Bridlington defence and accelerated through it to set up Jack Guest for a run to the line, roared on by a large and enthusiastic home crowd. Whittaker was unable to add the conversion but at 18 points to 3 Selby had already established a match winning position and a rout seemed a distinct possibility.

Unfortunately the weather then contrived to spoil the party as a tremendous thunderstorm rolled over, changing the face of the game within minutes as incessant rain accompanied by flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder quickly made handling a greasy ball much more difficult and changing direction when running often resulted in players losing their footing and abruptly halting any promising move.

Despite plenty of endeavour from all players, Selby had to wait until stoppage time at the end of the first half to extend their lead. A typical silky run by centre Alex Webster created the chance for Porter to add to his impressive scoring record as he ran in under the posts and Whittaker's easy conversion saw the home side go into the break with a well deserved 22 point cushion.

As conditions worsened the quality of play understandably dropped too and with Bridlington adapting more successfully, Selby found themselves having to defend for long periods as they struggled to get a foothold in the visitors half. Despite a glut of possession Bridlington had great difficulty in breaking through the stubborn Selby defence and it wasn't until the last play of the match that the visitors eventually gained reward and some consolation for all their efforts when centre Jamie Martin crossed for a try wide out on the flank. An excellent conversion from the touchline by stand off Jack Arthur brought proceedings to a close and allowed spectators from both sides to seek respite in the comfort of the bar.

Despite the difficulties of the second half there were again some very encouraging signs for Coach Richard Nicholson as prop forward Rob Bourke produced an outstanding performance both at the set piece and in open play. Ashley Parkinson also made an impressive debut when replacing the hard working Dom Bosher from the bench after half an hour. With all of the forwards doing the hard graft, the talented three quarter line were given plenty of opportunity to show their colours with some excellent running, passing and support play.

A tough fixture against unbeaten League leaders Doncaster Phoenix next week will give Selby a real test of their mettle and will provide a good benchmark of how much they have progressed over the first couple of months of the season. Approaching that game, Selby will take great encouragement from the strength of their defence and the quality of their play when conditions were conducive to 15 man rugby.