EIGHT-TRY Selby RUFC started 2015 with a bang as they trounced Wath-on-Dearne 50-8 in Yorkshire One.

The Swans, already missing captain Duncan Hardy, had to overcome the loss of stand-in skipper Jacob Robinson in the warm-up to gain their first bonus point win of the campaign.

The Sandhill Lane visitors took the lead after 11 minutes when the Selby forwards were penalised for killing the ball in front of their posts, number eight Anthony Barratt taking an easy three points.

However, the hosts hit back only two minutes later after back row forward Dominic Bosher retained the ball from the Selby kick off.

A quick tap penalty near the Wath line was initially held up but the ball was recycled to full-back Josh Cruise and he stretched over for the try.

Cruise missed a penalty opportunity on 16 minutes and Wath then regained the lead when their powerful forwards set up an unstoppable rolling maul to give back row forward Joe Earp the try.

On 27 minutes, Selby took a lead they were never to relinquish after turnover ball on the Wath 30-metre line saw substitute number eight Protheroe and prop Robert Bourke put scrum-half Cody Whittaker in for a smart try under the posts. Cruise converted.

Cruise missed another penalty on 33 minutes but a minute later the Swans bagged a third try. A huge up and under was regathered by Bosher, who managed to put acting skipper Ben Booth over for a try converted by Cruise for a 19-8 interval lead.

Selby extended their lead on 42 minutes when back row forward James Blaymire turned over possession to give Whittaker a 45-metre sprint to the line and Cruise added the conversion.

The hosts absorbed lots of pressure from the Wath forwards before sweeping the length of the field to put winger Oliver Saunders over for his first try of the season, with Cruise kicking an excellent conversion.

Dan Porter made a second-half appearance after a seven-week absence and his excellent 61st minute grubber kick was gathered by Cruise, who went over for his second try.

Five minutes later, Saunders was over for his second try after a wonderful 45-metre break from Bourke. Cruise crossed for his hat-trick try on 74 minutes, with a successful conversion completing a personal haul of 25 points.

 

POCKLINGTON RUFC turned in a battling display but went down 24-13 to Alnwick on their longest trip of the North One East season.

The game was decided by goalkicking after both sides scored two tries and Pock’s fifth successive defeat dropped them to tenth in the table.

Still without a number of key players through injury and unavailability, Pocklington were boosted by the return of forwards Karl Durkin and Matt Davies, who had both been out since November.

Though they went behind to an early penalty, Pock hit back strongly to take the lead when centre Pete Massie weaved through to touch down and Dan Elliot followed up with a penalty.

Two more Alnwick penalty successes late in the first half gave them a one-point interval advantage, and the home side stretched their lead to 19-8 with a converted try plus a fourth penalty in the third quarter.

Pocklington pulled themselves back into contention when wing Tim Nixon stormed over after sustained pressure, only for errors by the visitors to allow Alnwick to go to the other end and grab their second try.

It was all Pocklington in the closing stages but, despite Alnwick’s desperate defence seeing them have two men sent to the sin-bin, the home side managed to hold out to the final whistle.