Selby's revival continued when they won 20-5 at West Park Bramhope to gain revenge for a home defeat earlier in the season.

The first team squad now has a much more solid look and there was the added boost of Carl Paterson's return from a spell at Hull Ionians. He was selected on the bench for the West Park game and had a quiet opening on the wing for the second half.

When he regains full form and fitness and his link with Matthew Smith is reinstated then the season could flower.

Despite playing up a considerable slope, Selby carried the ball to the ten-metre line by aggressive running. Good handling in the backs, led by the influential John Webster, allowed the forwards to carry on and roll a maul across the line, scrum-half Dave Bramley claiming the try to be his morally if not in reality.

All the play in the first half hour was inside the home side's 22, and their line cracked again as Selby's forwards exerted relentless pressure until the ball could be fed quickly to centre Martin Bramley to cross.

Instead of pressing home their superiority, Selby appeared to ease back. They started to kick away good possession, which allowed West Park more of the ball and they started to edge back into the game, but a poor penalty miss eased the situation.

Paterson marked his return with a bad penalty miss and the kicking from both sides looked like it was carried out in bootees.

Selby dominated the set scrums and line-outs and it was from a scrum against the head that the ball was recycled and fed out wide for flanker Jim Nicholson, as ever in support to blast over at the flag.

The home side replied with a score from veteran centre Bob Collins, who strode through some ineffectual tackling.

This fired Selby back into life. They played their best rugby of the day as forward after forward drove in to establish a position. The ball was spun out to Paterson, who beat two men and fed Dave Batty, steaming in from full-back, to crash over.

Selby, who have a tough home fixture against Pontefract next weekend, have all that it takes to beat any team in their league. They just need to believe it.

Updated: 12:34 Monday, January 14, 2002