Selby Warriors’ best display of the season was in vain as they lost 42-20 to Doncaster Toll Bar.
The visitors are title favourites in Pennine League division one, while the Warriors are battling to avoid relegation, but it was the home outfit who looked the team at the top for the opening 20 minutes.
Led by veterans Lee Bennett, Mark Hanson, Wayne Fennel and the evergreen Paul Berriman, they tore into the visitors and scored three tries for a 16-0 lead.
Berriman sent winger David Makin in at the corner with a body swerve and pass to open up the gap, and, without the home side touching the ball, Fennel dodged his way over from ten yards out, Gary Watkinson goaling both.
Toll Bar were rattled and kept at bay by some ferocious tackling, and, after another break from Fennel, Mike Williams scored the third home try.
The Warriors, however, were rocked by injuries to forwards Watkinson and Ben Hopkins, allowing Toll Bar to creep back into the game.
They narrowed the deficit on 30 minutes, before taking charge after the interval.
They drew level and, while home forwards Bennett, Richard Young and Scott Birch tried their best to stem the tide, the visitors hit their straps, bagging three tries in the next 15 minutes.
Selby kept going and scored another try from a kick by Fennel, with Berriman scooping up the ball over the line and, being unable to ground it, flicking it back for Scott Birch to touch down.
Toll Bar had the last say on the final hooter to make the score lopsided but Selby came away with great credit.
The Selby Warriors ‘A’ division seven game at Cowling was called off due to bad weather.
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