Selby v Bradford Salem
Saturday 6th December 2025
Good afternoon and welcome to Sandhill Lane for our fifth home fixture of the Regional North East 2 season.
I trust that all players and spectators will conduct themselves both around the pitch and across the ground in a manner that reflects the best traditions of Rugby Union. We want everyone who visits Sandhill Lane to enjoy their rugby in a positive and respectful environment.
Following a run of strong home performances—along with last Saturday’s hard-fought victory at Pontefract in atrocious conditions—we are keen to maintain our momentum. Today we welcome Bradford Salem, who sit just two points behind us in the table and recorded an impressive home win against league leaders Pocklington last time out. It is my pleasure to welcome their players, supporters and committee members to Selby. Despite the various league restructures, my memory tells me our last meetings were in Yorkshire One during the 2021/22 season, when we were successful both home and away.
Our Second XV also enjoyed another home win last weekend against a resilient Pontefract side. They travel to Beverley today looking to extend their outstanding run of 12 wins from 12, having beaten Beverley at home back in September.
We are also joined today by Yorkshire Chairman Ian Connell, to whom we extend a warm Selby welcome.
As always, we remain deeply grateful to all of our sponsors. Today, in the Swans’ Nest, we are pleased to host our long-standing associates from Read School.
Our referee for today’s game is Graeme Hall from the West Yorkshire Society. Please give him your full respect and support throughout the match.
I would also like to congratulate everyone involved in our Movember fundraising, which has now exceeded £1,100—a tremendous effort for an excellent cause.
With Christmas fast approaching, we have a busy programme of events for you to enjoy:
Have fun, enjoy your afternoon, and thank you for your support of Selby RUFC.
Selby v Bradford Salem
Saturday 6th December 2025
Good afternoon and welcome to Sandhill Lane for our fifth home fixture of the Regional North East 2 season.
I trust that all players and spectators will conduct themselves both around the pitch and across the ground in a manner that reflects the best traditions of Rugby Union. We want everyone who visits Sandhill Lane to enjoy their rugby in a positive and respectful environment.
Following a run of strong home performances—along with last Saturday’s hard-fought victory at Pontefract in atrocious conditions—we are keen to maintain our momentum. Today we welcome Bradford Salem, who sit just two points behind us in the table and recorded an impressive home win against league leaders Pocklington last time out. It is my pleasure to welcome their players, supporters and committee members to Selby. Despite the various league restructures, my memory tells me our last meetings were in Yorkshire One during the 2021/22 season, when we were successful both home and away.
Our Second XV also enjoyed another home win last weekend against a resilient Pontefract side. They travel to Beverley today looking to extend their outstanding run of 12 wins from 12, having beaten Beverley at home back in September.
We are also joined today by Yorkshire Chairman Ian Connell, to whom we extend a warm Selby welcome.
As always, we remain deeply grateful to all of our sponsors. Today, in the Swans’ Nest, we are pleased to host our long-standing associates from Read School.
Our referee for today’s game is Graeme Hall from the West Yorkshire Society. Please give him your full respect and support throughout the match.
I would also like to congratulate everyone involved in our Movember fundraising, which has now exceeded £1,100—a tremendous effort for an excellent cause.
With Christmas fast approaching, we have a busy programme of events for you to enjoy:
Have fun, enjoy your afternoon, and thank you for your support of Selby RUFC.
Selby rack up a comfortable win despite a rather disjointed display after the first quarter.
Selby RUFC 36 – 10 Bradford Salem RFC
23rd October 2021
Report by Ian Marlow
Selby clocked up another big win at home on Saturday against usual toughies Bradford Salem, and while the score-line correctly indicates this as a comfortable win, the Swans gave a rather disjointed display from last week’s excellence and left a lot of unscored points out on the paddock.
Unavailability in the pack brought in two ‘new’ props for Selby, including the venerable Andrew Tunningley, but to no detriment as the Swans mullered Salem at the first scrum and then worked the ball back and forth in the backs before second row skipper Ash Parkinson crossed from short range for 7-0. And soon after it was 14-0 as, after a good break by winger James ‘Bob’ Robinson, fly-half Henry Wright grubbered through for centre Alex Webster to collect and send in full-back and top try scrounger Olly Turvey for the try.
With Salem struggling to compete with Selby’s pace and movement the Swans had a stack of good ball to play with, but they became guilty of overplaying their hand somewhat with some unnecessary over-elaboration, when simple ‘hands’ into the wide-open spaces may have been a better option? Still, what do I know as Wright ‘over-elaborated’ again to chip through for replacement back Tomasi Tanumi to collect and send in second rower Jack Hebden for 19-0, still within the first quarter.
Salem have struggled this season with player availability and while this may have showed in their organisational play, no one can doubt their commitment - and when Selby turned over their ball at the restart they moved it well and then recycled for Sam Dunn to slice clean through Selby’s backline to raise their spirits, and the score, to 19-7. Selby continued to press though and came close again as left winger George Stoker broke right and then sent big Bob on his way again, to be finally downed inches short after a storming run. With Selby continuing to ‘fail to execute’, a number of good chances went begging before, after another penalty to Salem, Selby restored a measure of accuracy to reflect the half’s play as scrum-half Danny Wilkinson squeezed in from close range for 26-10.
Selby continued to dominate possession and territory throughout the second half, with their scrummage winning ball, and penalties, almost at will - but their profligacy continued likewise as chance after chance failed to trouble the scoreboard, as they became victims of their own over-eagerness and failure to control the ball. Salem then completely undid themselves by mysteriously deciding not to compete in the slightest at another Selby lineout - allowing Parkinson to bemusedly stroll over for his second try of the day.
And a final varnish was added to the score-line right at the end after, initially showing the footballing skills of Carlton Palmer on one kick chase, big Bob had more success in chasing down a second, for a final score of 36-10.
Another big win on the road for Selby.
Bradford Salem RFC 6 – 38 Selby RUFC
12th February 2022
Report by Ian Marlow
Selby collected maximum points for the second consecutive match with another big win away at a wild and stormy Bradford Salem.
Salem has always been a difficult hunting ground for Selby and the West Yorkshiremen have well and truly cooked the Swans’ goose on many occasions recently - but Salem have been struggling with player availability more than most this season, so the weakened team they fielded on Saturday gave Selby an excellent chance for some redress.
Playing with the wind and rain at their back though Salem used their fly-half, Sam Allen’s, strong boot to pin Selby back at every opportunity and, after the usual unforced infringements, Allen kicked two long-range penalties for an early 6-0 lead. Selby’s scrum was utterly dominant providing plenty of good ball but the weather was not conducive to their expansive style of play, and handling errors were aplenty. The frustration was lifted though as Salem’s committed defence was finally breached as Jack Hebden broke to put coach Jay Robinson through to round the full back for a smart try and 6-7. And after some powerful ball carrying by stout second-rower Sam Broughton, Robinson returned the favour by breaking free to put stand-in skipper Tom Edwards in for 6-14 at half-time.
With the weather now behind them, Selby were looking to stretch away and a quick score to Alex Webster for 6-19 seemed to presage a coming deluge of points. However, Noah was kept waiting as the flood never arrived - and instead Salem dominated possession and territory for the next 25 minutes, with Selby’s handling difficulties persisting. With Selby frustrations growing, particularly with Mr Referee now finding regular illegitimacy with the packs continuing steamrollering of their opponents at scrum-time (being cruel to an opposition pack maybe?), relief was finally provided as Selby managed to string together more than one phase of play for Edwards to burrow over for his second try.
And a late flattering gloss was added to the final score as firstly Edwards backed up a bruising line-break from Hogan, to collect the pass, sell an outrageous dummy, and cross for a captain’s hat-trick - and then Webster charged down and collected in midfield before, after his aging pins couldn’t make it to the try-line, passing on to the much younger legs of fellow ‘summer-time pie chucker’ James Bramley for a simple final try, and 6-38 at stumps.
Selby rack up a comfortable win despite a rather disjointed display after the first quarter.
Selby RUFC 36 – 10 Bradford Salem RFC
23rd October 2021
Report by Ian Marlow
Selby clocked up another big win at home on Saturday against usual toughies Bradford Salem, and while the score-line correctly indicates this as a comfortable win, the Swans gave a rather disjointed display from last week’s excellence and left a lot of unscored points out on the paddock.
Unavailability in the pack brought in two ‘new’ props for Selby, including the venerable Andrew Tunningley, but to no detriment as the Swans mullered Salem at the first scrum and then worked the ball back and forth in the backs before second row skipper Ash Parkinson crossed from short range for 7-0. And soon after it was 14-0 as, after a good break by winger James ‘Bob’ Robinson, fly-half Henry Wright grubbered through for centre Alex Webster to collect and send in full-back and top try scrounger Olly Turvey for the try.
With Salem struggling to compete with Selby’s pace and movement the Swans had a stack of good ball to play with, but they became guilty of overplaying their hand somewhat with some unnecessary over-elaboration, when simple ‘hands’ into the wide-open spaces may have been a better option? Still, what do I know as Wright ‘over-elaborated’ again to chip through for replacement back Tomasi Tanumi to collect and send in second rower Jack Hebden for 19-0, still within the first quarter.
Salem have struggled this season with player availability and while this may have showed in their organisational play, no one can doubt their commitment - and when Selby turned over their ball at the restart they moved it well and then recycled for Sam Dunn to slice clean through Selby’s backline to raise their spirits, and the score, to 19-7. Selby continued to press though and came close again as left winger George Stoker broke right and then sent big Bob on his way again, to be finally downed inches short after a storming run. With Selby continuing to ‘fail to execute’, a number of good chances went begging before, after another penalty to Salem, Selby restored a measure of accuracy to reflect the half’s play as scrum-half Danny Wilkinson squeezed in from close range for 26-10.
Selby continued to dominate possession and territory throughout the second half, with their scrummage winning ball, and penalties, almost at will - but their profligacy continued likewise as chance after chance failed to trouble the scoreboard, as they became victims of their own over-eagerness and failure to control the ball. Salem then completely undid themselves by mysteriously deciding not to compete in the slightest at another Selby lineout - allowing Parkinson to bemusedly stroll over for his second try of the day.
And a final varnish was added to the score-line right at the end after, initially showing the footballing skills of Carlton Palmer on one kick chase, big Bob had more success in chasing down a second, for a final score of 36-10.
Another big win on the road for Selby.
Bradford Salem RFC 6 – 38 Selby RUFC
12th February 2022
Report by Ian Marlow
Selby collected maximum points for the second consecutive match with another big win away at a wild and stormy Bradford Salem.
Salem has always been a difficult hunting ground for Selby and the West Yorkshiremen have well and truly cooked the Swans’ goose on many occasions recently - but Salem have been struggling with player availability more than most this season, so the weakened team they fielded on Saturday gave Selby an excellent chance for some redress.
Playing with the wind and rain at their back though Salem used their fly-half, Sam Allen’s, strong boot to pin Selby back at every opportunity and, after the usual unforced infringements, Allen kicked two long-range penalties for an early 6-0 lead. Selby’s scrum was utterly dominant providing plenty of good ball but the weather was not conducive to their expansive style of play, and handling errors were aplenty. The frustration was lifted though as Salem’s committed defence was finally breached as Jack Hebden broke to put coach Jay Robinson through to round the full back for a smart try and 6-7. And after some powerful ball carrying by stout second-rower Sam Broughton, Robinson returned the favour by breaking free to put stand-in skipper Tom Edwards in for 6-14 at half-time.
With the weather now behind them, Selby were looking to stretch away and a quick score to Alex Webster for 6-19 seemed to presage a coming deluge of points. However, Noah was kept waiting as the flood never arrived - and instead Salem dominated possession and territory for the next 25 minutes, with Selby’s handling difficulties persisting. With Selby frustrations growing, particularly with Mr Referee now finding regular illegitimacy with the packs continuing steamrollering of their opponents at scrum-time (being cruel to an opposition pack maybe?), relief was finally provided as Selby managed to string together more than one phase of play for Edwards to burrow over for his second try.
And a late flattering gloss was added to the final score as firstly Edwards backed up a bruising line-break from Hogan, to collect the pass, sell an outrageous dummy, and cross for a captain’s hat-trick - and then Webster charged down and collected in midfield before, after his aging pins couldn’t make it to the try-line, passing on to the much younger legs of fellow ‘summer-time pie chucker’ James Bramley for a simple final try, and 6-38 at stumps.
