Selby's adventure in the Powergen Intermediate Cup came to a disappointing end when, despite giving an improved display, they were beaten 32-23 by a determined Broughton Park.

In an exciting game the lead changed hands on four occasions.

Broughton Park could have taken the lead in the second minute, but full back Pete Oakes, who bagged a total of 22 points in the game, missed a 45-metre penalty opportunity.

Two minutes later Broughton Park second row forward Mark Poole scored an unconverted try.

In the seventh minute, after winning line-out ball on the five-metre line, Selby scrum half Matthew Smith jinked his way over the line after receiving the ball from the ensuing rolling maul. Hamish Burns converted.

Selby increased their lead three minutes later when second row forward Jason Cicero scored an easy try after the ball was spread wide after Andy Bennett was held just short of the line. Hamish Burns failed with his conversion attempt.

Poor tackling and a poor clearance kick out of defence enabled Oakes to score tries in the 24th and 29th minutes, both of which he converted himself to put Broughton Park 19-12 in front.

Broughton Park were later caught offside in front of their posts, Hamish Burns missed the penalty attempt.

At the beginning of the second half, Selby were forced into a double substitution, scrum-half Smith and stand-off Burns being replaced by Shaun Austerfield and Toby Pemberton.

Andy Bennett switched to scrum-half to accommodate Shaun Austerfield at centre.

After only two minutes of the second half winger Martin Protheroe scored a try for Selby after a determined run. Full-back Paul Scott, who had taken over the place-kicking duties, missed the conversion from near the posts.

He made amends four minutes later putting Selby back in front with a successful penalty attempt.

Selby looked as if they might start to control the game at this point, after playing some of their best rugby of the game, but Broughton Park started to put the Selby scrum under increasing pressure.

Their big pack forced Selby into conceding penalties, two in the space of three minutes, both missed by Oakes although one hit a post and was knocked on by Selby.

With Mark Tomlinson replacing the tiring Ian Copperwheat at prop, Selby continued to defend.

In the 61st minute, from a five-metre Broughton Park scrum stand-off Ronan O'Brien, son of Kevin O'Brien of Ireland and Barbarian fame, ghosted through a gap in the Selby defence. Oakes converted to put his side 26-20 up.

Selby were forced into making their final substitution when second row forward Cicero had to leave the field still troubled by his ankle and was replaced by Duncan Phillips.

Selby reduced their arrears in the 73rd minute with Scott's second successful penalty after Selby had broken from their ten-metre line with a superb length-of-the-pitch move which should have resulted in a try.

Tiring Selby side conceded penalties in the last minute and in the sixth minute of added-on-time. Oakes kicked both chances.

This performance by Selby was an improvement on the previous week's efforts against Goole, but it was their fourth successive defeat in a game they should have won.

Updated: 12:45 Monday, November 17, 2003