Selby 2s travel with an away win

In contrast to last weeks drenched game at Morley. Selby 2nds traveled to the valley bottom at Huddersfield RUFC with the sun shining in the players faces at the Autumn starts to take hold.

With player availability high this week, due to no game in the Yorkshire Cup for Selby 1st team, as Bridlington could not field a side. Selby could have sent most of the 1st team on to Huddersfield but instead opting to minimise change in the player squad writes Paul Gabel.

This allowed the players pushing for places to show their skills and determination to Selby Head-coach Jay Robinson and 1st team captain Alex Webster, who travelled to give support and enjoy what turned out to be a good weekend for rugby at Selby RUFC, with a win for the 3rd team and senior ladies back at HQ.

The game started well and Selby were in control from the off, with ball in hand and every player crossing the gain line with no reply coming from Huddersfield in the early stages. Selby backs and forwards working as a well oiled machine allowing Adam Crooks to cross the line for the first time in his short Selby career. Adam came to Selby during lockdown from Ilkley after moving to the area and has been a positive impact since his arrival and should be around for lots more seasons to come.

After Harry Cruise converted the try, making the score 0-7 with 7 minutes played, Selby were back on top from the restart for the next 5 minutes with Huddersfield absorbing the pressure and not allowing Selby to cross the whitewash. A chance for Huddersfield in a turn over ball started the revolt and after several phases and a disorganised Selby defence, allowed a well deserved try from Huddersfield making it 7-7, was this game on?

The feeling from the side line was that Selby were in control and Huddersfield had very little of offer, when they had ball in hand. It is a shame that, as a club, Huddersfield 1st team are in the higher leagues but in contrast the 2nd team seem to be a million miles apart but never gave up. Selby were playing rugby that has been practised on the training pitch and now paying dividends, resulting in a try from Josh Greenfield, after great forward work inside the Huddersfield 22. Making the score 7-14 after the converted try.

Once again, Selby took a hold by pinning down Huddersfield in their own half, absorbing the phases by Huddersfield and in most cases driving them back meter by meter and a quick turnover ball allowed Jamie Francis to crash over the line for Selby’s third try in 25 minutes. Converted by Cruise making the score 7-21 allowing breathing space and a settled Selby side to work on patterns of play in the last part of the first half.

Selby look like a side that wanted to win, a lot of experienced players on the pitch were now able to put into practice all the theory that had been promised over the last season or so, it say a lot about the Selby lads, one big family working for each other on and off the pitch. This dedication lead to the last try of the half but young lad Jack Edwards making the score 7-26 at the half time whistle.

The second half saw a few changes in personnel due to injury’s that were best rested. A period of settlement in the Selby side created a back and forth game where both teams strung a few phases of play together, then loosing the ball at the breakdown or a knock on as the ball was passed down the line to unsuspecting hands. Thankfully, the game was mostly played in the Huddersfield half and eventually resulted in a kickable penalty to Selby around the 60 minute mark. Pushing Selby’s lead to 7-29 and pretty much sealing the win.

However, all was not over for the scoreline and drama on the pitch. Fatigue always starts to play a part at this level of the game and today was no different with a Yellow card to Sean Campbell for a high tackle. One of several that had started to creep into both sides at this point and the referee using Sean as an example to calm the game down.

Selby always looked threatening when on the ball and after a short passages of back play resulting in slick passing and running at pace, allowing Thomas Gabel to use his agility to cross the line making the score 7-36 with the converted kick by Cruise and only 5 minutes or so to the final whistle.

Huddersfield did play with determination, but the fatigue got the better of them with a Yellow card for high tackling and down to 14 men for the last few minutes. On the restart Huddersfield were able to gain territory with a useful kick and after turning the ball over from the Selby side, we’re able to sneak one last try before the final whistle, making the final score 12-36.

Credit must go to Huddersfield for sheer gallantry on the pitch but Selby 2nds took the victory with a team that is showing its potential that has always been there.

Next week sees the 2nds away at Keighley RUFC for a battle on the 3G pitch…

Pictured: Captain, Jamie Skelton presenting Josh Greenfield with the Man of the Match Award