SELBY RUFC dropped into the relegation zone for the first time this season following a tenth consecutive Yorkshire One defeat in the Yarnbury mud.

There are no fixtures this coming weekend but Selby’s next two games are now going to be crucial – against North Ribblesdale and Acklam, who are also in the bottom three.

Selby found the heavy going at Yarnbury difficult to come to terms with and conceded 22 unanswered points before half time.

A penalty count of 13-2 also gave an indication of why the home side were able to build such a commanding lead, fly-half Kieran Davies scoring five penalties and an excellent conversion.

The home side opened their account after just four minutes when Selby were deemed guilty of not rolling away at the tackle and Davies made no mistake from the tee. Penalties then followed at regular intervals.

Selby had little chance to establish any sort of foothold in the Yarnbury half and, when they did eventually threaten the home line, a dropped ball on the 22 was quickly seized upon by the home forwards.

Quick handling turned defence into attack, allowing winger Jack Brown to race in at the corner. Davies’ excellent conversion opened up a 19-point lead.

A further Davies penalty in the third minute of added time served only to compound Selby’s first-half frustration.

It is to Selby’s credit, however, that they came out strongly in the second half. Second-rower Mark Tanner was awarded a try following a strong drive and a period of concerted pressure. Josh Cruise hit the conversion and, within four minutes, the same player had created a try for scrum-half Danny Wilkinson. Another excellent conversion reduced the deficit to 22-14.

Unfortunately for Selby, any optimism was soon dispelled when another penalty gave Davies the chance to kick to the Selby five-metre line and a clean take at the line-out allowed the forwards to suck in the defence before the ball was spun wide for full back Will Marshall to claim the try. Davies converted for 29-14.

For the next 20 minutes, play swung from end to end as both sides went in search of further points.

However, with 73 minutes on the clock it was Selby who broke the period of stalemate as replacement James Hunt drove over after the forwards turned over possession from a Yarnbury line-out on the home side’s five metre line. Cruise’s conversion drifted narrowly wide and the visitors remained 10 points in arrears with just seven minutes to salvage something from the game.

As the final whistle approached, the home side finally put the outcome beyond any doubt when Davies scored a fine individual try under the sticks, giving himself the easiest of conversions and sealing a deserved 36-19 victory.