Five-star Scarborough Athletic make winning start to pre-season at Selby Town

Despite the rock hard pitch and the warm temperature, both sides contributed to an entertaining game, and the two new signings, centre-back Leon Gibson-Booth and striker Rio Allan both impressed, while boss Jono Greening also gave a run-out to two trialists, writes Steve Adamson.

Selby’s best spell was in the opening 20 minutes when they created a couple of decent openings.

A through-ball from Harry Clapham sent the lively Connor Charlton clear, but he fired narrowly over, then Clapham blazed over in their next attack.

Boro responded, and Alex Brown, who had a terrific game, fed Harry Green wide left, and he cut inside into the area, but was halted by a strong tackle from Charlie Petch, then Luca Colville laid off to Green, who curled his shot towards the top right corner, but keeper Joe Wilton did well to tip the ball over.

Just before the interval Charlton drilled a low shot inches wide of Boro’s right-hand post.

Both sides made a number of substitutions during the interval and Boro finally took control of the game.

Allan surged down the right, and squared into the goalmouth, but Fabian Bailey hacked clear, then Bailey again cleared when Dom Tear and Alex Wiles combined to send Allan racing into the box.

The deadlock was broken when Kieran Weledji’s through-ball found Allan, who jinked past two tackles and fired a low left-foot shot into the bottom right corner.

Selby’s danger man Charlton then burst forward, but Luca Colville got back to tackle.

Boro were in control for the last half hour, with Alex Purver dictating play in midfield.

They went 2-0 up when the impressive Michael Duckworth sent over a cross from the right, and Richie Bennett cleverly chipped the keeper at the back post.

Purver passed out to Duckworth, whose ball into the area was slammed clear by Alex Marsh, then a Colville corner glanced wide off the head of Will Thornton.

Weledji teed up Duckworth, who turned and volleyed into the chest of keeper Wilton, then Duckworth laid off to Tear, but Bailey did well to clear.

Boro’s trialist B was fouled wide left, and Purver’s free-kick was headed powerfully home by skipper Thornton.

Colville battled for possession and passed to Bill Marshall, whose cross was headed over by Wiles, and Duckworth flashed a shot wide.

Boro scored twice in the last five minutes, Bennett passed to Colville, who swivelled to fire home, and Weledji’s downward header from a Colville corner completed the scoring.

SELBY - Wilton, McGrath, Racher, Heslewood, Petch, Bailey, Wade, Danby, Charlton, Davison, Clapham, subs used - Lealand, Hields, Marsh, Adams, Birdsall, Rowley, Greening, Fryer.

BORO - Whitley, Trialist A, Brown, Gibson-Booth, Thornton (c), Purver, Marshall, Walker, Allan, Green, Colville, subs used - Duckworth, Wiles, Tear, Trialist B, Weledji, Bennett.

REFEREE - Gareth Rhodes

BORO GOALS - Rio Allan 57, Richie Bennett 65, Will Thornton 78, Luca Colville 85, Kieran Weledji 87.

GOAL ATTEMPTS - SELBY 3 (0 on target) BORO 12 (7 on target).

CORNERS - SELBY 1 BORO 6.

OFFSIDES - SELBY 0 BORO 3.

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Alex Purver.

ATTENDANCE - 358 (c100 away).