Four tries in 13 minutes down the slope in the third quarter, the product of some flowing back play, ensured the Woodhead men maintained their excellent home record and a top six place.

Skipper Rob Jennings, forwards Bennie Pritchett, Ryan Harris, Danny Vento and Pete Ashton and backs Tom Kill and Ben Barron were among the unavailable players. Their replacements included old favourites Luke Scrimshaw and Ollie Akroyd. Coaching team member Danny Monk couldn’t recall a longer list of missing first team players during his three previous seasons at Woodhead. “This morning I would have settled for any win so I am delighted with such a good win and a good performance,” he said.

Selby had registered only a second league win of the season, against Bradford Salem, the previous week but they offered little apart from a scrum which was dominant at times and some close-quarter driving play from the forwards in the first half. They were then torn apart by a confident home back line, scrum half Gareth Newman and left winger Chris Vine notching try doubles. Backs coach Newman opened the scoring on nine minutes after he, No 8 Scrimshaw and winger Eddie Carter had cleverly used the blind side following a scrum 25 metres out. Centre Phil Town added the first of four conversions, two of his other efforts hitting the post. Local referee Hanson Haigh penalised Brods regularly during the first half and Selby attacked via kicks to touch but were hampered by a stuttering lineout and poor handling. However, the visitors did managed get on terms through skipper Brendan Lanaghan’s try 15 metres to the left of the posts, converted by George Stoker, and they continued to press. Brods moved up field when Dan Cole’s clearance was knocked on and they fielded a subsequent Selby clearance before moving the ball wide for Carter to beat the final defender. Town converted to make it 14-7 on 31 minutes but Selby stayed in the hunt with an unconverted try from Matthew Leetham after Cole’s dropped ball had landed the hosts in trouble.

Brods took a 21-12 interval lead when they made 50 metres through good handling, forced Selby to concede a lineout near their own try line and then mauled their way over with Scrimshaw touching down.
Selby finished the half on the attack but were soon under the cosh after the resumption.. Newman was the unlikely scorer as the home forwards mauled to the line following a lineout and with the four-try bonus point in the bag the home backs cut loose. Vine cashed in after excellent link-up play from Matthew Hoyle, who then broke through and popped the ball up for Cole to touch down. Good support play enabled Vine to score wide on the left as Brods shot into a 43-12 lead after 58 minutes. Selby managed to stem the flow of points for almost 20 minutes, and pressed for a third try via their forwards on occasions, but the home side had the final word when Town received a return pass from Vine to surge over.
Final Score: Brods 48-12 Selby
Bottomley's Arms Man of the Match: Alex Murphy