Selby RUFC 24 - 15 Hullensians RUFC

Report by Ray Adamson

Having enjoyed an easy victory in the first round of this season's Yorkshire Shield, Selby found the League Match against Hullensians a much sterner test but emerged with a well deserved and hard fought victory thanks to some tremendous defence against a physically intimidating but otherwise limited side.

The contrast in playing styles was evident from the outset with Hullensians seeking to progress through the force of their forwards and Selby looking to move the ball wide to use the explosive pace of young winger Sam Harrison who threatened every time he received the ball. From their first attack Selby quickly moved the ball away from the forwards and Dom Bosher found himself in space and with enough time to release Harrison whose footwork easily took him around his opposite number before he was dragged down inside the visitors' 22. A promising position was lost as Hullensians attacked the Selby scrum and eventually won a Free kick which allowed them to clear their lines. From the resulting line-out Hullensians were again able to turn over the ball and a well placed kick to the corner gave Selby the throw in just 5 metres from their line. Hullensians managed to steal the throw from the Selby forwards and set up a rolling maul which drove Selby back over their own line for a try credited to flanker Ken Bates. An excellent conversion by full back Guy Martinson gave Hullensians a 7 point lead with 7 minutes played.

Try scorer Bates then found himself on the receiving end of a yellow card for dangerous play after 12 minutes and Selby soon made the most of their one man advantage courtesy of a terrific individual try by Harrison. Receiving the ball 35 metres out he set off at pace and when confronted by his opposite winger chose to chip and chase. Fortune then favoured him as the ball ricocheted kindly into his hands and he left all would be defenders trailing in his wake as he sped over the line. Fly half Whittaker was unable to convert but the statement of intent was clearly made.

A sequence of errors by the Selby defence in their own 22 gifted the visitors 3 further points just before the re-introduction of Bates on 22 minutes. A scrappy line-out was followed by a couple of untidy passes resulting in a knock on just by the side of the posts and a penalty was subsequently awarded for not releasing the ball to the attacking side. Martinson made no mistake with the simplest of kicks at goal and the lead was stretched to 5 points.

Within 5 minutes of re-joining the fray Bates was again the visitors' hero when touching down his second try, almost a carbon copy of the first. A kick to the corner was followed by a catch and drive and the Hullensians forwards efficiently muscled their way over the Selby line. Martinson was unable to add the extras but the score extended the advantage to 10 points.

Within 2 minutes that had been reduced to 3 when a blistering break by Whittaker saw him in the clear with support on either side. Slick handling by Whittaker, hooker Duncan Hardy and flanker James Blaymire set up an easy run-in for centre Pete Turner and a straightforward conversion for the architect of the move, Whittaker himself.

Despite having the majority of possession, Hullensians found difficulty making any progress in the face of some tremendous defensive work by the entire Selby side who almost took the lead in stoppage time. Having spent an age under the cosh, Selby managed to wrestle possession deep in their 22 and the ball was swiftly transferred to Harrison. In a flash he was round his man and into open space with the whole field in front of him, only to be brought back having stepped onto the touch line early in his run. At only 15-12 down and with the significant wind at their backs for the second half, Selby went into the break satisfied with their efforts in the first 40 minutes.

The second half never really lived up to the excitement of the first half, but it soon became clear that Selby had what was needed to ensure the victory. A clean break by Hardy straight from the re-start caused panic in the visitors' defence and a penalty for offside at the ensuing ruck gave Whittaker the chance to level the scores at 15 all. Once Selby took the lead after 51 minutes when Whittaker again converted a penalty, this time awarded against Hullensians for “going over the top”, they never looked like conceding it as the visitors rarely threatened the Selby 22. Further penalties by Whittaker on 58 minutes and Josh Cruise, who struck a tremendous kick from fully 45 metres after 63 minutes, gave Selby a 2 score advantage and it wasn't until the last couple of minutes that Hullensians got anywhere near the Selby line. An unsavoury brawl 4 minutes from time saw Whittaker sin-binned and Ben Booth red carded for joining the fracas from his place on the bench. The resulting penalty allowed Hullensians to again kick deep into the Selby 22 and the forwards again drove towards the line only for the ball to be spilled forward when reaching for the try. With that the visitors' hopes of picking up a losing bonus point evaporated as Selby cleared the ball down field and easily contained Hullensians final, desperate attack.

With a visit to Malton and Norton next week and a home match against Middlesbrough in a fortnight’s time, Selby will need to continue to show the strength of character and resilience which has typified their recent performances if they are to maintain or improve their current mid-table position in what is without doubt one of the most competitive Leagues in the entire RFU League structure.