Selby RUFC ready to step up Yorkshire Two promotion charge (From York Press)

Selby RUFC ready to step up Yorkshire Two promotion charge

11:09am Friday 8th March 2013 in Sport By Steve Carroll, Sports reporter

SELBY RUFC will be in the driving seat for a return to Yorkshire One if they can beat Yarnbury in front of a big crowd at Sandhill Lane tomorrow.

It’s third versus second in Yorkshire Two with Swans coach Richard Nicholson knowing a victory could be pivotal as they strive to book their promotion place.

Selby are four points behind Yarnbury but have played two fewer games and know that even if the result does not go their way against their West Yorkshire rivals their fate would remain in their own hands.

“It would put us in a good position,” said Nicholson of a win over Yarnbury. “It would give us a little bit of a breather.

“We will be focused on trying to put a good performance in and get ourselves into a strong position to go on for the rest of the season.”

Selby were complacent, Nicholson added, at times in their 32-24 win at West Park Leeds last weekend, but he is in no doubt that his men will be looking to be at their best against Yarnbury. His team have no injury worries ahead of the match.

He said: “We were disappointed that we let West Park Leeds back into the game, but we showed a bit of character towards the end and the result was never in doubt.

“We made it hard for ourselves, but will be focused this week. We both have different styles of play. They are very forward orientated and have a very big pack, while everyone knows we try to move the ball about a bit more.

“We are looking forward to it. We are a better side than when we played them at their place and I think the whole club, from the guy who does the ground to the people who wash the kit, are looking forward to it.

“We get really good support and, in front of a big crowd, it would be nice to put on a good performance and show them what we can do.”

Malton & Norton have already begun to look ahead to next season – and they can rubber-stamp their North One East status by beating Keighley at The Gannock tomorrow.

“We are up for it,” said club spokesman Bill Laidler. “One more win means we are completely safe. It was a very poor first half last week at Northern but in the second half we turned it on and scored four tries.

“We would expect to overcome Keighley. They have been struggling this season.”

Laidler added: “We would have liked to have been a bit further up the league table (currently ninth). We are still a little bit light in one or two positions and we would like to look at that somewhere along the line.

“We are very strong in some positions, light in others. We would like to strengthen up in the pack.”

Malton make only one change from the Northern encounter, with Ali Heard coming in on the wing to replace the unavailable Henry Newitt.

Pocklington will have their improved North One East form put to the test when they welcome Doncaster outfit Wheatley Hills to Percy Road.

The East Yorkshire outfit have won their last four games to climb to eighth in the table but they face a side who have been in the top two all season until being pushed down to third last week.

When the sides met in Doncaster in November, Pocklington gave a good account of themselves, but Wheatley Hills’ finishing power saw them pull away to a 28-7 win.

Pocklington select the same squad that won at Keighley last Saturday.

York, still pushing for a top-four finish in Yorkshire One after a win over Ilkley at Clifton Park last weekend, will want a victory on the road against Knottingley.

Ben Hepworth, Chris Fox, Peter Martin and Rich Roberts are in the squad named by head coach Sean Bass.

York RI, still clamped to the bottom of the table after defeat by Hemsworth at New Lane last time out, are on the road at Goole in Yorkshire Three.