Finishing the match with ten men, they had to come from behind to snatch all three points via a late headed goal from substitute Elliot King.

United again had to adjust their starting line-up with Nathan Parker still missing through injury and Micky Allsop and Martin Bowles both unavailable. The usefulness of Gary Breach came to the fore once more as he took over Allsop’s central defensive role and Jacob Webster returned to the left back position after missing the last two games through suspension. Matt Weightman partnered Shaun Rickford to spearhead United’s attack and Jimmy Hunter gained a start on the right side of midfield. Blaine Hancock, Theo Ganderson and King were amongst the named substitutes on United’s bench.

Neither side began particularly well, with passes going astray with some regularity, though Kelvin Mushambi and Will Mellors-Blair linked up tidily in the early stages.

Weightman and Rickford both worked hard to unsettle the home defence but most of their running was in vain as clear opportunities were few and far between. United’s plans also received an early setback when Michael Martin was forced to retire due to a hamstring problem with the game barely twenty minutes old, enabling Hancock to have an earlier than expected introduction.

As the game progressed, United were able to produce some moments of pressure when they forced three corners in quick time and Breach almost opened the scoring with a spectacular effort that rattled the Selby bar. However, shortly afterwards, it was the home side that went ahead when Matt Hanton scored from close range on the thirty-minute mark after United had conceded possession on the right. Ross Whalin, in the United goal, ensured the margin wasn’t greater by producing an instinctive save only five minutes later.

The second half started as United had ended the first period, with Hancock in a more forward position and Rickford reverting to a central midfield role. Significantly, the team-talk at the interval clearly had a positive effect as United were more dominant from the outset, with Weightman in particular causing problems for the home side with some very strong running.

As early as the forty-seventh minute United were on level terms as Rickford crafted a pass to Weightman and the striker angled a precise shot wide of Jamie Barford in the Selby goal from the right hand side of the box to record his first strike for the club.

The equaliser boosted United further, with Mellors-Blair, Weightman and Michael Armstrong all having decent strikes on goal. Defensively, Dean Whiley was in command, ably supported by the blossoming Webster and Armstrong.

United’s progress was jolted somewhat with the seventieth minute dismissal of Rickford for an alleged elbowing offence but after a brief period of re-organisation they appeared further inspired after being reduced to ten men.

King joined the fray with barely eighteen minutes remaining to replace the injured Weightman and he made himself the hero of the hour after he leaped to head home a superb cross from Armstrong with only six minutes left in the game.

Jimmy Hunter had a late effort for United and Whalin made a crucial save deep into stoppage time to ensure his team retained their grasp on all three points, though the victory over the ninety minutes was perhaps just reward for a valiant second half performance.

Rickford’s dismissal was the third in successive seasons for a United player at Selby Town.

Long Eaton United: Whalin, Armstrong, Breach, Whiley (c), Webster, Hunter, Mushambi, Martin (Hancock 19, Ganderson 83), Mellors-Blair, Rickford, Weightman (King 73),

Despite Selby’s current position in the NCEL Premier this was still a good win for United and was indicative of a new-found resilience that demonstrates a never-say-die attitude. The late point gained at Nostell a week ago may now seem even more hard earned after the Wakefield sides seven-goal rout of Pickering yesterday and bears out a comment made by one of their backroom staff who said "we’ll will give someone a hammering one day soon"

With more positional changes required at Selby it was perhaps no surprise that it took the team some time to find their rhythm, though the first half was dire at times.

Jacob Webster and Michael Armstrong both had outstanding games and Gary Breach continues to give his all for the club. Ross Whalin again produced vital saves at important times and despite his fifteen stone (I’m being kind) almost killing one of his own players his performances deserve the reward of a clean sheet.

Club skipper Dean Whiley was also in great form and his permanent presence in an ever-changing line-up is a credit to his character. Matt Weightman certainly works hard and it was only fitting that he was rewarded with a goal.

The sending-off of Shaun Rickford was perhaps an obvious outcome if the letter of the law is observed but there was a degree of gamesmanship from a Selby player that led to his dismissal. United’s number 9 was ‘gutted’ to have reacted in the way he did in a game that had little in the way of malicious incident.

The last word should obviously be reserved for Elliot King, who has accepted his emerging role at the club with admirable maturity. His reward of a winning goal, in what may be his final appearance before he departs for University, was enjoyed as much by his team-mates as it was himself. And it wasn’t a bad header either…