Selby RUFC 31 - 29 Pontefract RUFC

Report by Ray Adamson

A magnificent touchline conversion with the last kick of the game by full back Josh Cruise saw Selby snatch a bonus point victory in the most dramatic fashion imaginable and so finally condemned visitors Pontefract to a season of rugby in Yorkshire 2. To be fair to Pontefract they played with great determination and passion as you would expect from a side knowing that only a win would be sufficient to allow them to retain any hope of avoiding relegation. The looks of disbelief on their players faces as Cruise's conversion sailed between the uprights will live long in the memory of their faithful supporters and was matched only by the relief felt by the large Selby contingent.

Although Selby had the upper hand at the scrum throughout the game and in flankers Dominic Bosher and Paddy Rowntree had the game's outstanding individuals, without the impetus given by prop forward Rob Bourke when he returned to the field they could well have ended the game with nothing more than a losing bonus point as errors in attack and frailties in defence repeatedly handed the initiative to Pontefract.

From the outset Selby got on top but two reasonable chances of scoring were spurned within the first 3 minutes and the pattern for the game began to be established as Pontefract then benefitted from Selby's mistakes and kicked to the corner from a penalty awarded for holding on in the tackle. A clean line-out catch on the Selby 5 metre line was turned into the opening score as visiting hooker Andy Smith was driven over by his fellow forwards, full back Liam Kaye unable to add the conversion from a difficult angle.

Within 5 minutes Selby were back on level terms with a similar score to the one registered by Pontefract when home number 8 Rob Taylor crashed over in the corner from a catch and drive following a line-out on the Pontefract 10 metre line. Cruise was similarly unable to add the conversion and the scores were tied at 5 points each.

Pontefract regained their advantage after 18 minutes courtesy of winger Tom Chester who was put into acres of space by his inside three quarters, who impressed all afternoon with their direct running and crisp handling, running in unopposed at the corner for a try which Kaye was again unable to convert. Within 2 minutes Selby had again levelled the scores when a scrum was forced on the Pontefract 22 and Rob Taylor's blind side break gave winger Ben Lunt the perfect opportunity to exhibit his finishing skills as he easily beat his opposite number to touch down wide out on the right hand side. That was to prove to be the last score of the half as errors from both sides did little to ease the frustration felt by both sets of supporters and Selby inexplicably turned down an easy kick at goal in the final minute of the half, choosing to tap and run instead and failing to turn the pressure into a score.

Pontefract made the best possible start to the second half and opened up a 12 point lead within minutes of the kick off. Firstly the visiting backs caused chaos amongst the Selby defence and centre Craig Fawcett crossed for a simple try which Kaye converted and then, aided by some poor tackling, flanker Robert Stringer was allowed to run some 50 metres to score the fourth try and so secure a bonus point for the visitors. At 22-10 in arrears there was still plenty of time for the home side to make amends but the feeling amongst a large part of the crowd was that they would need to up their game if they were to retrieve the situation.

The gap was reduced to just 5 points after 50 minutes when Selby's dominant scrum set up the position from which hooker Duncan Hardy was able to force his way over the try line wide out on the flank, leaving Cruise a tricky conversion which he judged to perfection. The re-introduction of Rob Bourke after 56 minutes gave the Selby effort further impetus and it was no real surprise when Lunt was given the chance to score his second of the afternoon following a quick tap penalty which caught the Pontefract defence flat-footed after 65 minutes. Another excellent conversion by Cruise from close to touch gave Selby the lead for the first time in the match at 24-22 and expectations were that they would go on to seal the victory in the final quarter of an hour.

However Pontefract had other ideas and just 3 minutes later they had their noses in front again when centre Matthew Bacon intercepted a speculative miss pass in midfield to run in under the posts unopposed and present Kaye with the simplest of conversions to re-establish a 5 point margin. It is to Selby's enormous credit that they refused to lie down and with the game well into injury time and on the last play of the match a dart down the blind side by scrum half Neil Francis left Rob Taylor just enough room to drive his way over at the corner flag to level the scores and present Cruise with a very difficult chance to claim the victory. The young full back proved up to the challenge in no uncertain terms, striking the ball superbly and knowing from the moment it left his boot that it was on target to snatch the win from a thoroughly dejected Pontefract side who had given their all but found themselves on the end of a cruel defeat in yet another tense local derby.

Selby finish their League Programme with a trip to the seaside at Scarborough, knowing that a Bonus Point victory could see them end up in 5th position in the League, should all other results go in their favour whilst a loss could see them drop as low as 11th in the final table.