This week the Brods travelled to Selby for the eagerly awaited match against league leaders Selby. The conditions at Sandhill Lane were excellent, with initially sunny skies and a relatively dry pitch, well prepared by the Selby ground staff. However, confidence was low in the camp of Brods following support, with the withdrawal of a number of Brods senior players who were attending a stag do. However the Brods assembled a decent looking team after, what appeared to be, persuading recently injured players to return prematurely and persuading senior players who considered themselves not quite ready, to turn out. There were also a couple of debutants, youthful and otherwise.

Brods got proceedings underway kicking off towards the railway end into a stiff breeze, and before I had finished my pint in the bar and taken my position on the touchline, Selby had scored a try and converted it, 7-0. This was followed by a number of good-looking moves across the impressive looking Selby three quarter line. Brods were at full stretch containing their fast young backs. After 3 minutes Ryan Harris was yellow carded for an infringement when trying to slow down the rampaging Selby backs. Brods did manage to see out the early pressure and after 6 minutes of constant defence Josh Kelly made a relieving clearance into the Selby half for the first time. The burly Brods’ stalwarts, Cameron Wroot and Liam Stapley had been prominent in both defence and driving forward. However, the visitors were beginning to be forced into errors by the well drilled and fast advancing home defence. Pressure was being exerted by the home side once more with a couple of passing moves falling down at the last moment by a dropped ball or forward pass. After 11 minutes of what seemed like constant Selby pressure, Selby elected to kick for goal after one of many penalties awarded and the impressive fly half sweetly converted, 10-0.

The next 10 minutes followed the same pattern with Selby enjoying the majority of possession and pressing, with the odd foray by Brods into Selby territory. The deceptive wind which was favouring Selby was playing a part, but Selby were becoming frustrated and after 20 minutes the Selby number 8 was yellow carded following a ‘handbags’ incident. Briefly it appeared that this was Brods’ moment to seize the initiative, but once more discipline was lost and Selby relieved pressure with a long penalty to the Brods 20 metre line. In the following passage of play the Selby forwards rumbled over the try line for what, from the Brods perspective, was a scruffy try, impeccably converted by number 10. After 22 minutes 0-17. Two minutes later Joe Sealey, after a valiant defensive display, was struggling with what appeared to be an ankle injury, and was replaced by Lazarus-like Lee Imolek, who only 3 weeks before had suffered what looked like a season ending ankle injury.
It continued to be all Selby for the remainder of the half with constant pressure, and on 38 minutes they were over again after a passing movement across the three quarter line and finished by the speedy right wing. This was converted from the touchline by the Selby number 10 which was followed by a long-range penalty from 40 metres. Half time 27-0 and Brods shell shocked.

The second half got underway, and with the wind at the backs, and no doubt after a half time motivational narrative from Shed, the Brods were a different proposition. Immediately the Brods forwards got their rolling maul working with Lee Imiolek to the fore, marching Selby back 30 metres. The Brods were beginning to apply pressure with a number of half breaks, with Ben Barron and Leo Kemp almost through. The forwards were battling on with Millington, Imiolek and Wroot prominent. After 55 minutes it was no surprise that the Brods scored after a forwards move, with Millington crossing the whitewash. The try was converted by Kelly. 27-7. The Brods continued pressing for the next 10 minutes but were unable to make the vital break, and were tiring after an epic second half stint.

Going into the last quarter Selby, who had barely been out of their own territory so far in the second half, began to look more menacing and were again benefitting from the ref’s whistle. Veteran centre Christian Georgiou was outstanding and put Brods on the front foot again with a long relieving clearance. The Brods pressed again, spreading the ball across their line, but were unable to make the breakthrough. The gallant youths of the Brods continued to press and with 5 minutes to go and the score 27-7, the legendary quote of the much derided Ross Strudwick came to mind – ‘we won the second half’. Selby had other ideas and continued pressing forcing the excellent Liam Stapley to be yellow carded in the 39th minute of the second half. After a clearing kick downhill the Selby backs got their movement going again and raced clear to score from 50 metres to the left of the posts. This was once more converted by the impeccable number 10 and from the restart crossed again under the posts in the last play of the game, making the score 41-7 to the home side when the final whistle went.

Although a well-deserved victory for the very impressive home side, who now seem favourites for promotion, the scoreline was a little flattering. The sending of Stapley to the bin with two minutes remaining was a turning point with Selby scoring two converted tries in the last throes of the game. We look forward to the return encounter at Woodhead in the Papa Johns Cup.