Selby U13's Yorkshire Cup First Round

Sunday saw Selby U13s start their 2015 Yorkshire Cup campaign, on the first team pitch against Sheffield U13s.

For anyone looking at the stats for the teams, it looked likely to be a fairly even match, however from the first kick Selby found themselves under pressure and defending their try line. Good rucking by Selby forwards did manage to keep Sheffield at bay for a while, though Sheffield’s well drilled team went through the phases and eventually found a way through to score their first try.

The Selby scrum showed consistent superb performance throughout the match and it was from a scrum that Selby’s Ollie Uren was able to conjure a try and went on to kick the conversion. It was at this point that Selby went briefly into the lead, with a 7 -5 advantage over Sheffield.

Sheffield were quick to reply and scored three tries in quick succession, through the use of a very blatant overlap, that developed as Selby’s forwards and backs chased the ball rather than working the channels. The first half ending Selby 7 Sheffield 24.

The second half started pretty much as the first half ended, further pressure by Sheffield and some long distance unopposed running saw a further couple of tries from Sheffield within six minutes.

With the score now 7 to 34 against them, previously the Selby side would have given up, but this time something different happen and they regrouped and dug deep, and started to play with flair and style, which was reward with a try and conversion.

Had Selby turned up and played the way that they did in the last ten minutes of the match the result might have been different or at the very least closer.

What was clear to the supporters of the Selby Cygnet’s, is that on a full size pitch, if they do not work the channels and all commit to making the necessary tackles, it will be a tough season.

Dan Lewis was Selby’s Man Of The Match for his tackling performance during the duration of the match.