Pocklington 14 - 19 Driffield
The Panthers
were gutted as they fell at the final hurdle when they saw Driffield snatch victory
with two late pushover tries in the closing minutes of extra time of their East
Riding Merit Table semi-final.
Pocklington went into the game in confident
mood having won ten games on the bounce to finish top of the Merit Table 1st Division.
And their optimism looked well founded as they tore into Driffield from the off
and went ahead on the quarter hour when good play created an overlap that fly
half Joe Holbrough didn't need as he strolled through himself and then converted.
Pocklington's
young side - they only had three players over 30 in the squad and were packed
full of teenagers - continued to look lively, but they missed a series of attacking
opportunities and goal kicking chances and Driffield's more experienced outfit
gradually started to gain momentum.
The visitors got a further boost when lively
prop Charlie Cassam was harshly sin-binned for retaliation and ebullient skipper
Phil Drew had to retire with a shoulder problem.
But despite Driffield grinding
the Panthers down in the set pieces, flankers Dan Pickard and Brook Waudby worked
hard at the breakdown and in flyhalf Holbrough and fullback Steve Shepherd the
Panthers had the best two footballers in view.
However, all the Panthers' endeavours
came to naught as Driffield broke through to level the scores with five minutes
to go.
The Panthers lifted themselves again and once more looked to have won
the match when No 8 Kenny Strangeway charged from his won half and popped the
ball inside for wing Rich Morley to sprint over from halfway, Holbrough converting.
But
again the pendulum swung and deep into the second period of extra time Driffield
rumbled over from close range to tie the scores at 14-14 then they repeated the
act with another pushover drive to win it at the death.