Expansive play brings its reward!

It took a while for either team to settle into any form of rhythm with both teams being a little tentative thus creating numerous handling errors. Every indication was that this was going to be a very tight game. Scrums were evenly matched, York were showing an advantage in the lineout whilst Selby were edging it in being quicker to any loose ball. It was from a reset scrum on halfway that York won the ball and good passing along the back line took play close to the Selby line. From a lineout just 5m short of the Selby line, York's No 8 Leonard collected the ball and drove over the line for an opening try. (0-5).
Tension appeared to ease at this stage, handling errors were reduced and York, in particular, started to show signs of flowing rugby. York took a clean catch of the Selby restart and drove straight into the heart of the Selby forwards. As Selby halted the drive, York moved the ball out wide to see Gao put into space out wide for him to race away from halfway and to round behind the posts. Atkinson duly did the honours. (0-12).
Buoyant at this stage, York was playing excellent rugby. Selby tested York from the restart by putting in a long, deep kick to the blind side. York salvaged the ball and as their players got back they set up a handling move, which took play right back to the Selby 22m line. Play became temporarily halted before York picked up momentum and drove again. This time Cambridge, playing as flanker, broke away to score. (0-17).
The final few minutes of the session saw Selby rally slightly but York defense held firm. Handling errors crept back in as they had in the opening encounter.
FIRST SESSION : SELBY 0 YORK 17.

The York restart could not have gone better. Cambridge was quick off the mark and rose to catch the ball ahead of a Selby defender. York drove to commit Selby defenders as a neat slip pass to Simpson saw that player break clear to score without a Selby player having touched the ball. (0-5).
The Selby restart saw them take play to the York 22m line. The Selby attacks came from close to the scrum or ruck and York defended well. York secured a loose ball and broke away from defense only to be called back for a previous knock-on for which Selby had not received sufficient advantage. York eventually cleared their half in some style. From a short, tap penalty in their own half York move the ball quickly out wide where Gao rounded his opposite winger, beat the fullback and outpaced the opposite winger, as he covered across, to score in the corner. (0-10).
The restart say play contained between the halfway line and York's 22. A long kick and chase by York was scrambled into touch by a Selby defender with two York attackers bearing down on him. Alert thinking by York saw them take a quick throw-in to Bullough who raced in from 20 meters. (0-15).
The last try of the session almost emulated the opening one. This time Selby did stem the catch and drive but as York switched play first one way and then the next it was Cambridge who broke clear and raced away to score. (0-20).
SECOND SESSION : SELBY 0 YORK 20.

The third and final session saw York attempt to play their most expansive rugby of the day. Another long, raking blind side kick to restart by Selby was securely collected by York who ran the ball back at Selby only to be forced into touch. Two further attacks by York were also forced into touch. York was winning most lineout ball by this stage of the game and thus retained possession. Stubborn defense by Selby held York up on the line on three occasions as York reverted to forward power. Eventually the voices of screaming backs were heard and the ball was moved wide. With Selby desperately trying to cover, Atkinson neatly stepped inside his opponent to score near the post. This time the very strong cross wind, which had hindered kicking all morning, was insufficient to stop Bullough adding the conversion. (0-7).
York lost much of their fluidity during the final phase of this session. All too often forwards chose to put their heads down and drive with the ball in hand. Their overwhelming power undoubtedly gained them much ground but all too often their eagerness resulted in a conceded penalty. York did make a further break out wide, which Selby defended by forcing York into touch. The final try came when Selby tried to run the ball out of defense. York broke down the movement and as the ball came loose it was Simpson who had the quicker hands to secure the ball and to score in the corner. (0-12).
THIRD SESSION : SELBY 0 YORK 12.

It was pleasing to see York hold a Selby team, who was more than a match for them in the early encounters. As York started to impose forward power they showed far greater team coordination by utilising their back line. It was York's determination to play a more expansive handling game that proved to be a major difference between the two teams. With strength in both the pack and in the backs it was no wonder that six different players contributed to the try score tally. Selby for their part were always very quick onto loose ball but what attacking play they could mount was always close in to set pieces and well contained by York's flankers.

SCORERS:

Tries:
Leonard
Gao (2)
Cambridge (2)
Simpson (2)
Bullough
Atkinson

Conversions:
Atkinson
Bullough

Players 'Man of the Match'.
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Seasonal stats to dwell on over Easter:

Played 18, Won 15, Lost 3. Points scored 645, conceded 197.

5 games were cancelled by bad weather,
3 by Area and County trials.