Selby Warriors are hanging on in the promotion race in Pennine League division three and will be confident of bagging two more points on Saturday at home to lowly Silsden.

The Warriors remain sixth but with games in hand, following last week’s 30-20 comeback win at Hoyland Vikings.

The hosts went 12-0 up before Jimmy Hanson’s try after 25 minutes got Selby back in the game, and it was 16-6 at half-time.

Selby moved the ball wide away from the big Hoyland pack in the second half and it paid off with tries by full-back Karl Simpson, man-of-the-match Wayne Fennell and impressive debutant Ben Hopkins, who powered over twice, before Hoyland notched a consolation. The excellent Hanson added all five conversions for Selby.

Selby Warriors ‘A’ were unlucky to lose 34-28 to Cowling in Pennine League division seven last week.

A young Selby team, aside from veterans Kev Simpson and Dave Sowden, lost the game in the first 15 minutes when falling 18-0 down – having conceded too many penalties in trying to prove they wouldn’t be pushed around.

When they started to throw the ball around, Danny England scored a peach, beating six men, and man-of-the-match Rob Howard notched two identical tries, regathering the ball after chips over the defensive line.

James Lancaster burst through and, from a Sowden pass, Paul Wilkinson gave Selby the lead.

However, hooker Sowden and an opponent were sent off following a fracas, though, and Cowling retook the lead. Rob Howard got the ball to Jack Fothergill, who scored his maiden try for Selby – but Cowling won it late on.

Selby ‘A’ go to third-placed Queensbury ‘B’ this Saturday.