A beautiful morning at Sandhill Lane heralded the first game of the season for Selby U-15s against Sheffield Tigers, who’d kindly stepped up to play after Morley weren’t able to commit a team to the original fixture.
Both teams looked a little rusty at the start with a handful of errors from each but it was Sheffield who got on the scoresheet first with a good try which reflected their dominance in the early stages - although they couldn’t manage the conversion.
They were looking the more
comfortable side and it was a welcome relief when Usher got the ball out wide for Selby and proceeded to run half the length of the pitch to score an excellent try under the posts. He then converted the extras himself to give the home team the lead.
The game continued to be a good contest for the rest of the first half with both teams having their moments. Sheffield’s discipline and commitment up front meant they had the edge with Selby being penalised on a number of occasions for misdemeanours that could have been avoided.
Selby finally started to look a bit more like themselves towards the end of the first half and were understandably frustrated when a promising move was intercepted by a Sheffield player who ran on to score unopposed under the sticks.
The game was evenly poised with Sheffield leading 12-7 at the break.
An honest conversation at half time saw Selby come out with renewed purpose which culminated with Rooke scoring after a typically committed drive to the line. Usher got the extras to give Selby a lead that they never gave up. Belief coursed through the team with the forwards starting to punch holes in the oppositions defence with O’Mahony, Jones and Riley doing damage.
Sheffield then had a player sin binned and Selby took full advantage with Ward gliding across the pitch with no one getting near him to put Selby further ahead; Usher getting the extras.
Selby had the bit well and truly between their teeth by now with multiple players involved in their next move. The attack culminated with Stead scoring a lovely try after great hands from Rawes and Marsham in the centres. Selby led 28-12 but weren’t quite finished.
In the dying moments of the game a lovely passage of play involving Howson and Ward saw Marsham score a well-deserved try which O’Mahony converted.
A final score of 35-12 was a fitting reflection of Selby’s second half improvement and also the overall contribution of every one of the 22 lads who played today.