SELBY returned to winning ways after 10 consecutive Yorkshire One defeats against bottom of the table Acklam.

The fact that Selby also secured a try scoring bonus point means they climbed two places but still face a struggle to avoid the drop.

Selby took the lead after just eight minutes when Alex Hare went over the line. Josh Cruise converted.

Having seized the initiative, Selby were forced onto the back foot for the remainder of the half as the Acklam forwards began to dominate.

Full back Daniel Ashton’s penalty kick took the score to 7-3 at the break.

The second half saw Acklam once again on the front foot and the deficit was soon reduced to a single point as Selby were penalised for offside and Ashton made no mistake.

Skipper Duncan Hardy added another try to restore Selby’s six point advantage but Cruise was unable to add the extras.

Acklam reduced the gap to one point after 61 minutes when repeated drives at the line eventually saw winger Josh Abrahams going over. Ashton failed to convert but a one point lead in Selby’s ensured a thrilling finale.

Cruise converted a penalty to make it 15-11 with 13 minutes to play before Ashton Dallimore intercepted just outside his 22 and outpaced the Acklam defence on a 65 metre sprint to cross the line. Cruise’s conversion opened up an eleven point lead.

As Acklam’s forwards tired, the home side went in search of a fourth try to seal a bonus point victory. James Fox, playing scrum half following Danny Wilkinson’s earlier departure, was able to burrow his way to the line in added time.

Cruise’s conversion gave the scoreline a rather flattering look at 29-11 and Acklam, who probably had two thirds of possession in the game, will no doubt have felt that they deserved a great deal more than their efforts had produced.

With Acklam now favourites to go down, there is a real battle to avoid the second relegation spot. The North Ribblesdale fixture in late March could yet be the defining fixture of the season.

However, the spirit shown in their defence and the confidence gained from this victory could now stir Selby to even greater efforts in the coming weeks.