Rainworth could have no complaints.

They were outgunned by a better side on the day, but the defeat left them six points adrift of leaders Bridlington, albeit with two games in hand, and allowed third placed Armthorpe to close to within four points of what had hitherto looked a two horse race for the title.

Rudy Funk's men could hardly have made a better start with Ant Lynam's tremendous third-minute opening strike.

But Selby quickly cottoned on to the fact that their front men had the pace to outstrip the leaden-footed Rainworth defence at will, and by the 15th minute Steve Lyon and Stuart Dove had them ahead and well in control.

Lyon added his second goal just after the half-hour, but Cameron Fearon gave Wrens hope when he pulled one back three minutes before the break.

However, that was undone when Ian Streather was harried into bringing Leigh Wood down from behind in the 57th minute, and home skipper Brenton Leister gave Mark Hales no chance from the spot, after which there was no way back for Rainworth.

What could have been a good game as a whole was ruined by York referee Alf Greenwood who seemed to completely lose the plot, and at times the match threatened to boil over as a result—but the official's shortcomings left both sides and their fans frustrated in fairly equal measure.

Rainworth introduced new boy Ryan Goward from Glapwell at left back, and handed Topliss the number 11 shirt in place of the rested Brendan Sweeney.

Selby almost drew first blood in the second minute, until a cruel bobble saw the well placed Leister lose control of Wood's through pass.

Instead, within a minute, Lynam latched onto Wilkinson's measured pass, swivelled, and unleashed a 25-yard howitzer which hit the net before keeper Adam Mitchell could move. It was a candidate for goal of the season, but from then on the Wrens slithered downhill.

Within five minutes Selby were level, when Dove and Leister combined to put Lyon in on goal, and he slid the ball past the advancing Hales with great glee.

Mitchell clawed the ball off Lynam's feet as the busy Wrens striker looked for a second goal, but when a second goal did come it was for the home side.

Dove left Craig Charlesworth chasing shadows despite giving him a two yard start from Marcin Wolski's pass, and there was nothing Hales could have done to prevent Dove from putting Town ahead.

When Dove threatened again he was halted by Fearon's well-timed challenge, and Tom Matthews latched onto the second ball and forced a fine parry out of Hales.

But the game boiled over in the 27th minute. Firstly Mr Greenwood failed to take any disciplinary action for a dreadfully high challenge by Joe Connor on Goward, apart from awarding the free-kick.

From that, Rainworth worked their way along the left, but when Topliss was floored in the area, suffering injury in the process, the official refused all penalty appeals.

Consequently Danny Naylor took the law into his own hands and went in hot-headedly and heavily on Dove.

Like Topliss, that was the end of Dove's afternoon as he was carried off—and Naylor was a lucky man indeed to see only yellow.

And, to compound Rainworth's frustration, they fell further behind in the 31st minute, Connor setting up Lyon for his second goal as the Wrens' defence was pulled apart again.

Keeper Mitchell clawed Naylor's low drive around the post five minutes later, and saved again three minutes before the break, tipping Fearon's vicious angled shot over the bar.

From the resulting corner Charlesworth headed against the bar, but Fearon bundled the rebound over the line to give Rainworth hope.

But it was Selby who again looked the livelier on the restart, with young substitute Ian Beckram doing well to get in a telling centre from a set piece, for Scott Pickles to see Hales parry his header and the ball to be scrambled to safety.

Lynam, who covered tremendous ground throughout, broke from three successive home corners but, with little support, was crowded out in the Robins' area.

Again Selby's pace exposed the day's frailties of the Rainworth defence in the 57th minute, and Streather, lacking match fitness, was reduced to bringing Wood down from behind.

Leister's spot kick gave Hales no chance, and Selby had a two goal cushion again and victoryb in the bag.

SELBY: A. Mitchell, Robinson, Reid, Wood, Pickles, Wolski, Matthews (Beckram 43), Leister, Dove (Radford 30), Connor, Lyon. Sub not used: Bray.

RAINWORTH MW: Hales, Fearon, Goward, Wilkinson (Bainbridge 56), Charlesworth, Streather, Whitehead, Naylor, Asquith (Hollis 69), Lynam, Topliss (C. Mitchell 30).

REFEREE: Alf Greenwood of New Earswick, York.
ATTENDANCE: 81.

GOALS: Selby—Lyon 8, 31; Dove 14; Leister 57 (pen). Rainworth—Lynam 3; Fearon 42.

CAUTIONS: Selby—Radford 62 (foul); Connor 72 (fracas). Rainworth—Naylor 27 (high challenge); Wilkinson 47 (foul); Hollis 72 (fracas); Streather 72 ('professional' foul); Fearon 76 (foul).

WRENS MAN OF THE MATCH: Ant Lynam.