Selby 33 North Ribblesdale 20

A breakaway try in the closing minutes finally ended North Ribblesdale’s hopes of an opening day win in a cracking Yorkshire Division One match.

Russell Ingham had scored a try to give his side real hope but as they pressed for another the ball went loose.

Ben Lunt, Selby’s powerful wing seized on it and sprinted 70 yards before handing on to Charlton McCoy who scored under the posts. The conversion gave Selby a flattering 13-point winning margin.

Both sides had found the hard pitch and fine conditions to their liking as they looked to play a running game.

Ribb started with their now trademark error from the kick off and that put Selby on the front foot. Only stiff defence by the whole of the back line kept them out.

Ribb were putting in big tackles and a crushing effort by Josh McFarlane forced a penalty which Jonathan Richards converted.

Ribb were forced to kick the ball out of play after receiving the restart. Selby then produced an impressive show of ball retention which ended with an unconverted try for Brown out wide.

It was all Selby for the next ten minutes until Matt Speres forced a turnover. He swapped passes with McFarlane before going over for a try which Richards converted.

Late in the half Selby’s pressure was rewarded with a converted try and a penalty which put them 15-10 up.

Early in the second half Richard clawed back three points with a penalty, but Selby were putting on the pressure.

Both sides swapped penalties before Selby ran in an unconverted try.

At this stage Selby looked favourites as Ribb had lost the muscular McFarlane to a knee injury but the visitors put on a spell of heavy pressure.

A drive by Sam Boatwright allowed Ingham to plunge over for a converted try.

Ribb were within a score and looked like getting it until the crucial loss of possession which led to Selby’s match-winning try.

Steve Moon had another good game and newcomers Johnny Moore and McFarlane played well with the talented David Fox putting himself about.

Maybe the Ribb management were amiss in not putting on Andrew Thwaite and the explosive Ethan Henare as both sides tired.

Ribb have stuck with the starting team at Selby for this week’s clash with Old Brodleians.

There is a powerful bench with Simon Bolland and Nathan Dakin back from injury.