Selby were sparked to a commanding performance when they defeated York 38-8 at Sandhill Lane.

PASS MASTER: Selby scrum half Matt Smith (second from right) whips the ball out to his backs before his opposite number, York's Nigel Durham (far right) can get in a tackle during their encounter at Sandhill Lane

It was quite fitting that the match should be sponsored by Drax Power Station as powerful Selby showed more pace, initiative and commitment than the visitors after a boot-dominated opening when York had their best opportunities.

When the game settled down, York exploited Selby pressure as Mick Parsonage fielded a Selby kick and cleared to half-way where Rob Liddle caught full-back Dave Batty in possession to set up Toby Cockcroft on a run only for York to lose possession allowing Selby fly-half Carl Paterson, not for the last time, to clear with a huge kick.

Nevertheless, captain Nigel Durham chipped York into space enabling Parsonage to charge down the clearing kick. The ball was recycled to Stuart Davies in the centre who burst through at searing pace and could probably have scored if he had not looked for support. York's consolation was when Selby went over the top and conceded a penalty, which Cockcroft comfortably converted.

After 20 minutes York's prop Dave Dorking went off with a shoulder injury and Selby swung into an attack which saw winger Simon Hall pulled down by Davies as a score looked likely. Soon after Selby were awarded a penalty for York not releasing the ball and they wide for powerful No 8 Rob Taylor to surge over the York line for a try converted by Patterson.

Paterson and Cockcroft exchanged kicks but York gave away a penalty for foul play and Patterson extended the Selby lead to 10-3.

York's scrum was not under pressure and York kicked for touch but the alert Selby side took a quick line out and scrum half Matt Smith fed Paterson's boot and York again found themselves on their own line where Selby pulled a master stroke.

The line out ball was tapped to hooker Tom Bayston who ran across behind his forwards and delivered a slick reverse pass to straight running Duncan Phillips who sliced through the bemused York pack for an excellent converted try to give Selby a half-time 15-3 lead.

The second half was one of increasing Selby dominance despite yeoman defence by York. After seven minutes, Durham appeared to have regained possession from a scrappy scrum but Selby emerged with the ball to spin it out to winger Richard Topping who raced 50 metres down the wing to score an unconverted try.

After 20 minutes, York sent on James Arkle and Ed Bennison for Durham and Liddle only to see Selby centre Andy Bennett make space for Topping to run in an unconverted try.

Arkle injected some life into York's attacking play and both he and Sean Bass were nearly over. But York could not sustain the pressure and soon Bayston took Selby left before scrum half Smith switched play for topping to score in the corner. Again Paterson could not convert.

York pulled back the deficit to 30-8 when the ball popped out of a maul for York prop Simon Humphries to find the Selby defence on leave and he gratefully snatched a try.

However, Selby had the last word when their forwards combined impressively before the ball was again swung to the predatory Topping for a corner flag try. Paterson was unable to convert but right on the whistle he converted a long range penalty to complete an impressive performance and give his team a 38-8 victory.

l York travel to Percy Park next Saturday where victory would ensure their North East Division One status.

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