DISJOINTED Selby lost 22-13 at Old Crossleyans despite getting a flying start to their Yorkshire One encounter.

The visitors soaked up early pressure to open up a ten-point lead after 11 minutes but it proved to be a false dawn.

Too many Selby tackles were missed, kicks to touch did not find their target and the lineout was unusually untidy.

But the opening score went to Selby after the forwards drove on to the Crosslyans ten-metre line and the ball was fed to John Webster who touched down, Paul Scott kicking the conversion.

Scott then made it 10-0 with a penalty after Crossleyans were penalised for persistently arguing with the referee.

Home centre Tony Waite continued to voice his opinion and was yellow-carded but Selby failed to take advantage of the extra man and Crossleyans got on the scoreboard when winger Tim Helliwell crossed near the corner.

Jamie Grayshon added the conversion and when Crossleyans got back to full strength they levelled at 10-01 with a Grayshon penalty.

Shortly before the interval home pressure paid off when winger Gareth Ott crashed over for an unconverted try.

A Scott penalty brought Selby within two points of their hosts but Crossleyans always looked to more likely to score.

Once again Crossleyans were reduced to 14 men when Helliwell was sin-binned but for the second time in the match, Selby could not make the most of their numerical superiority and home prop made the game safe by crashing over for a try improved by the reliable boot of Grayshon.

Despite losing Selby retained tenth place, courtesy of Dinnington's heavy defeat at Pontefract. Only six points seperate third and 11th place, so Saturday's game with Huddersfield YMCA is vital.

Updated: 09:56 Monday, December 08, 2003