A STIRRING comeback came to nothing but a bonus point as Selby RUFC were beaten 31-27 at Dinnington in Yorkshire One.

The Swans trailed their fourth-placed hosts 13-3 at the interval and they slipped 25-6 behind after 56 minutes of Saturday’s clash.

With nine minutes remaining, the visitors had pulled to within a point at 28-27, only to see a late Dinnington drop goal dash their hopes of a victory.

It had looked ominous for Selby in the first quarter as the Dinnington forwards took command but the Swans rode out the storm and competed well.

Jonny West kicked Dinnington into a fourth minute lead and Danny Pilkington touched down on nine minutes for an 8-0 lead.

Selby spurned a golden opportunity for a try on 18 minutes when Teihana Brown only had to touch down but he delayed and was held up by the Dinnington defence.

Dan Porter’s penalty got the visitors on the board a minute later, but Dinnington led 13-3 at the break after Will Marshall’s try.

Porter missed a penalty on 41 minutes, hitting an upright, but he made no mistake two minutes later.

The real killer for Selby was a spurt of two tries in four minutes from speedy South African full-back Neceedo Pietersen, which gave Dinnington a 25-6 advantage. Selby fought back well in the gloom, with Martin Protheroe crossing on 55 minutes for a try converted by Porter.

Dinnington then had Simon Bunting and John Dudley yellow-carded and Porter converted his own try to make the score 25-20 with 14 minutes remaining.

John West bagged a 68th-minute penalty for Dinnington, but Selby set up a frantic finale with a try by Alex Hare, converted by Porter, with nine minutes still left on the clock.

However, a drop goal from Jonny West after 73 minutes sealed the win for Dinnington, who were hanging on for the last ten minutes.

The Swans were pushing for a winning score, but had to settle for a losing bonus point, which leaves them in eighth place in the table with six wins from their 13 matches.

Meanwhile, York moved up a place to sixth in the Yorkshire One table after a 27-22 victory over Scarborough at Clifton Park.

Scarborough led 10-0 in the early stages and then 17-5, but the home side rallied to take the points and edge above Old Brodleians in the standings.