4ths return to winning ways

Leos dominated the early exchanges in territory and possession, but were kept out by some well organised defence and typically booming field kicking from Ray Adamson. Selby mounted some attacks of their own, mainly through rolling mauls, but the Leos pack were able to prevent any significant ground from being made. On the occasions that Selby didn’t find touch Billy was secure under the high ball, and ran a couple back with interest once he’d worked out which side of the winger to run (something that triggered an enjoyably Tourettes like outbreak of bad language).

The stalemate was broken late in the first half when quick ball through the backs gave Richie Howells some space to work in. The ersatz flanker showed the expected power to burst through the first up tackle, but then a real turn of foot to outpace the covering defence and go over in the corner. Tim’s attempt to imitate Scotty was successful, as the conversion was missed.

The game’s second try came after a period of Leos exerting considerable pressure in the Selby 22. After some rumbustious driving from the forewards, with Si H and Kinga to the fore, most of Selby’s back line had been sucked into the close quarters combat. Enter two of the older and certainly wiser heads in the team, with the rugby league call being unveiled and executed perfectly as Gabes drilled a cross-field kick down the hill for Matt to dive onto over the try line. Conversion missed again.

Half time came with Leos 10 – 0 up, but conscious that previous encounters against Selby usually saw them come strong in the second half. The half time team talk was slightly derailed by JP losing track of how many subs we had and how many of them weren’t props, with Big Steve, Tec, Caddy, and deubtant Ben taking to the field, and Dave Bateman to follow. Gabes availed himself of the opportunity to escape the midfield traffic by moving to scrum half.

With something of a wind behind us, and a low sun for Selby to contend with, it was agreed that the second half would see a range of styles deployed, including some strong running in the centres from new boy Ben and Dean, supported by the forwards in a typical display of support and offloading. When the space was closed down by Selby backs wandering up a little offside Gabes pinged the ball to the corners.

Despite the congestion in the midfield, quick hands from the backs soon enabled the ball to reach Uncle Tom Stubley with the chance to line up a run at the outside of his opposite winger. He rounded him with ease, then bounced off another couple of would be tacklers to score by the posts, with Tim drilling the conversion through the uprights. Tom was to get on the scoresheet again before hobbling off later, with another typically powerful run which started just in the Selby half.

The scoring was completed by Tim, who not only scored a well-taken wingers try (despite the Tourettes sufferering winger’s efforts to push him into touch), but then drilled a remarkable conversion from the right touch line.

This was a welcome return to form for the 4ths, after a couple of recent blips. Our high tempo, off-loading game was back, bolstered by the return of some key players, and players back in their natural homes! Our defence was excellent, with Selby rarely looking like breaching first up tackles, and after relative parity in the forwards in the first half Leos gained the ascendancy in the second, disrupting the traditionally strong Selby scrum on a number of occasions. Selby may have tired quicker than we expected given many of them played the night before in a vets memorial match – so well played to them for putting the effort in twice in two days to fulfil the fixture.

JP once again led from the front before limping off, having put in a sterling effort in the unfamiliar position of second row. He blamed a bang on the head for calling for three cheers for Ripon, which was sportingly responded to by Selby’s three cheers for Yarnbury! We’ll look forward to seeing the Extra Bs up at their place for the rematch, where they will be keen to set the record straight.

Finally, any entirely libellous accusations of beer pilfering are strongly denied by Alun Gabriel and Tim Leslie.

Scorers:

Stubley, 2T
Leslie, 1T/2C
Wilton, 1T