RELIEF is what Selby RUFC head coach Richard Nicholson felt as the Swans picked up their first win of the season last week - now he is hoping his young side can spring a huge shock at high-flying Malton & Norton tomorrow.

Having opened the Yorkshire One campaign with five straight defeats, Selby hung on to beat North Ribblesdale 20-14 and get off the mark at the sixth time of asking.

But if Nicholson was hoping to ease his way to another victory, those thoughts were dispelled as his side gets ready to travel to Ryedale and second placed Malton.

The Gannock outfit have won five of their six matches and only trail unbeaten Bradford & Bingley in the race for promotion to North One East. It is out of the frying pan and into the fire for Nicholson and his men, but the Sandhill Lane chief is expecting his side to give a "good account" of themselves in difficult circumstances.

"It was just a relief to get off the losing column," Nicholson reflected on the Ribblesdale victory. "We were pleased to get the win. I was a little disappointed. We played really well in the first half and played really well to half-time.

"We shouldn't have let North Ribblesdale back into the game and, as soon as they got a score, we tensed up and stopped playing. We told the players that when they have the momentum they have to keep it going and keep doing what they do really well.

"It's a really young side and some of those young kids have gone through two or three hard weeks and come out with a victory. It cheers everyone up and gets them to believe in themselves."

Selby will be boosted by the experience of returning prop Duncan Hardy but Nicholson acknowledges his side have a daunting task.

He added: "It's a tough place to go - it always is. They are usually well drilled and they are well coached by Chris Creber. I have a lot of respect for what he does and everyone who organises his team.

"They have a good mix of home grown players and imports and we have to try and counter their threat and look after ourselves. If we do that and give a good account of ourselves then I will see that as a positive afternoon."

Malton have a number of injury worries going into the clash. Captain Sam Triffitt is out until after Christmas after having an operation on a knee cartilage injury, while fly-half Nick Daley departed with a head injury during the second half of the club's 32-28 victory at Bradford Salem last Saturday.

Pocklington face new opponents, Guisborough, at Percy Road in North One East.

The sides have never previously met in a competitive game, but the North Easterners have risen up the leagues and were promoted this term as Northumberland-Durham champions.

They are eighth in the table - two places and one point above Pocklington.

Pocklington are missing skipper Ben Rees, who is at a World Cup game, but Billy Hardy hopes to have shaken off a troublesome hip injury, while Josh Britland is back from holiday in Thailand.

In the forwards Archie Fothergill, Dan Elvidge and Matt Davies all return after missing last week's win at Beverley.

Elsewhere, sixth-placed York will bid to build on their 29-10 win at West Park Leeds with a victory over Bridlington at Clifton Park while, in Yorkshire Four, York RI take on Hemsworth.