Solid Performance by Selby U13 Boys

In a rare home match this season, Selby U13’s strode out onto the hallowed turf of the first team pitch, confidence high after an excellent performance the previous week away to Moortown.

The visitors Wath Upon Dearne, who like Selby had seen mixed fortunes so far this season travelled the 32 miles up the A1 for the encounter.

In unseasonably warm weather the visitors who had won the toss, kicked off, and the ball was collected by Selby, after a short passage of play and infringement of the laws by a Wath player, saw Selby being awarded an early penalty. A quick tap and precision passing by Selby saw the ball being shipped out the Selby winger, Hedley who, despite valiant challenges from the Wath defence managed to go over in the corner for Selby’s first try. The conversion was taken by Oille and Selby were seven points to the good.

At the restart the Wath kick-off failed to make the mandatory 10 metres and Selby opted for the Scrum, which they won and again through precise passing the ball found its way to Oille who duly put it between the sticks for Selby’s second, which was converted.

Wath restarted the ball being collected by Joseph, who was unfortunate to knock it on, which awarded Wath a scrum on Selby’s 22. Winning their Scrum Wath played the phases, keeping the Selby squad under pressure, in spite of good defensive play by Selby, Wath’s persistence paid off with them going over in the corner to get their first points on the board.

Selby then kicked off and this time following a knock on by a Wath player, it was Selby who were awarded a scrum, the Selby pack have been one of the revelations at recent games, and again were able to drive back their opposition to win the ball. Selby then marched on towards the Wath line with good support play from a number of players it was this time Kieran’s turn to dive over for the Selby points.

Selby then made a substitution, Miles for Nathaniel, Selby again collected the ball, but through the determination of the Wath forwards managed to lose possession. At the next breakdown good counter-rucking by Selby won back the ball and again through fluid movement the ball was this time passed to Noah, last week’s man of the match, to score.
The restart again saw the ball not travel the necessary 10 metres, again Selby opt for the scrum, which they duly win and send Oille on his way to travel half the length of the pitch to score his second of the match.

Try converted, Wath kick-off and the ball is collected by Luke, who makes significant yardage, before off-loading to Haden who keeps the Selby charge alive. In the next passage of play Selby knock on the ball and Wath are awarded a scrum. The next few minutes see uncharacteristic messy play by Selby during which none of the Selby players appears able to keep hold of the ball and this ends when Wath are awarded a penalty. Again the Wath offensive move is repelled by Selby and a long kick out of the Selby 22 by Ollie that bounces into touch awards Selby some breathing space.

Wath win the line-out and start a driving maul back towards the Selby 22, which seems to tire and eventually Selby are awarded a scrum, which Wath win and start to pick up momentum towards the Selby 22, a good tackle by Miles saw the ball spilled and collected by Ollie who again managed to jinx his way to the Wath try line.

Just prior to the referee blowing up to end the first half and following a good performance by Noah gaining Selby valuable yards, it was once again Ollie that went over the Wath try line in front of the sticks, to round off what had been a perfect first half for an on form Selby side. The score at half time was Selby 47 – Wath 5.

Selby decide to substitute Ollie for Sam P and so as Selby kicked off to start the second half it was with a new dynamic, the match despite the changes made continued to be dominated by the home squad and saw tries from Kieran, Joseph who caught the ball from the kick-off and ran the full length of the pitch to score, further tries were added by Sam P and Sam C, with Oille now supporting his team from the touchline it was Miles who stepped up to take the conversions, managing an acceptable 2 from 4 on his first outing.

In the final minutes of the match Wath put together a great spirited run of play and were duly rewarded with a try, showing that perseverance does pay off.

When the final whistle went the score line was irrelevant, both teams had put on a great spectacle of rugby for the both the home and travelling fans and were rewarded by loud applause as they left the playing field.