Selby RUFC lose out to Bridlington in Yorkshire Shield final (From York Press)

Selby RUFC lose out to Bridlington in Yorkshire Shield final

9:46am Monday 7th May 2012 in Sport

HISTORY repeated itself for Selby RUFC as they were edged out by Bridlington in the final of the Yorkshire Shield in Hull.

The Swans lost 16-12 in yesterday’s showpiece in a game which had echoes of their 20-18 final defeat to the same opponents at Driffield in 2010.

Despite Yorkshire One side Bridlington having the advantage of the wind in the first period, Yorkshire Two Selby took the lead on five minutes with a try by winger Ben Lunt – his 14th of the season.

Fly-half Josh Cruise missed the conversion.

As the half was drawing to a close both sides had a player yellow-carded, with Selby’s substitute number eight Martin Protheroe taking ten minutes out of the action.

Having missed two penalty attempts, Brid’s Jamie Nuru made it 5-3 on 36 minutes.

The East Coast outfit then scored a converted try on 40 minutes and Nuru added another penalty five minutes into stoppage time for a 13-5 half-time lead.

Nuru kicked a third penalty 15 minutes into the second half for a 16-5 advantage.

The Swans struck back, however, when prop forward Duncan Hardy crossed for his 11th try of the campaign in the 61st minute.

Cruise’s conversion made it 16-12, but he was unable to narrow the gap five minutes later when he saw a penalty attempt go narrowly wide.

Despite getting into some advantageous positions, the Swans turned over possession at key moments.

A penalty count of 18-11 against Selby did not help their cause, but coach Richard Nicholson’s men were not at their best in a tight game.