By Richard Sykes
Two tries from lock Billy Hammond helped Huddersfield RUFC grind out a 29-22 bonus point win at Selby.
The visitors enjoyed the best of territory and possession and although they never managed to create clear, match-clinching daylight in the scoreline they hung on to a 30th minute lead for a deserved victory.
Huddersfield head coach Danny Brough was pleased with a first victory of the season and said: “It wasn’t a pretty win but the lads dug deep and scrambled for eachother.
“I thought we ran hard and tackled hard and did the basics well, stripping it back and going through it, which is primarily what I’m after.”
Selby had a big pack and gained the upper hand in the opening scrummages to set up early chances. Although a superb 50/22 kick by Field fly-half Will Milner brought relief the attacking line out was lost and Selby went back on the front foot.
After Henry Wright charged down a clearance kick Duncan Hardy picked up the loose ball and ran in a right wing try and give the home side a 5 0 lead in the 7th minute.
Four tries then came in a tit for tat battle in the second quarter. Having responded well to the early set back Field put together some solid, continuous phases of play.
On 20 minutes Selby were penalised. A touchline kick took play to their 5 metre line and hooker Tom Haywood equalised with a try from the maul.
Five minutes later Field took the lead. When Selby overthrew a lineout on halfway Field worked the ball down the centre. Play reached the try line in a powerful forward drive and Hammond touched down for his first score which Milner converted.
Selby then narrowed the gap with a second unconverted try after Field were penalised at a ruck, winger Dan Reid touching down on the fringe of a driving maul.
With first half minutes ticking away Hammond bagged his second try. When Selby knocked on inside their own half Field worked the ball up the pitch and mounted a sustained assault on the try line. After a couple of thrusts Hammond crashed over and Miler converted.
Field knocked on from a long re-start kick and then found themselves having to graft to keep their 19-10 lead in tact as the first half drew to its close.
Flanker Francis Entressengle made a good break as Field made a crisp start to the second half but when they lost possession 10 minutes into it Selby produced a shift in game momentum.
It started with an attack down the left wing and a through kick to the in goal area running just too far. It continued with scrum penalties against Field inside their 22 on the back of which Selby pressed.
Field winger Fin Stewart was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on in the line and Selby took the scrum option from which Sam Fuimaono scored a try which Wright converted to reduce the gap to two points.
Field responded in determined fashion and re-asserted their control of the match. Milner, back in the claret and gold after a season with Rotherham, brought his vast experience to bear to steady the ship from midfield with teammates running strong lines off him, lock Dan Lloyd making a notable contribution.
Continuous phases took play to the Selby 22 and Kian Stewart made an exciting touchline run, being brought down just short. The ball came back inside where Milner wrong footed the defence to score a try between the posts which he converted.
With time running out and Field continuing to press the game produced a bizarre final twist. When Selby attempted a high clearance kick from inside their 22 two of their players were still on the ground 30 metres offside.
However, when the kick got a Huddersfield touch from an attempted charge down, their tardiness in getting back was rewarded. Having been put onside they were able to field the kick and set up Wright for a breakaway try on the left wing.
Selby knocked on the kick from the re-start. They were penalised at the scummage and Milner landed the kick to secure the spoils.
Huddersfield: Thompson; Haywood; Myers; Lloyd; Hammond; Christian; Entressengle; Parfitt; Briggs; Milner; Barber; Workman; Stewart F; Hawkyard; Stewart K. Replacements: Patterson; McFarlin; Horsfall.
Image: RAY MORRIS
