Barnsley 23 - 7 Pocklington
Pocklington went
down at Barnsley in Yorkshire Division Two, where the home side gave them a lesson
in taking chances as they ran in three long range tries.
Yara-sponsored Pocklington
were forced to make a host of changes, particularly in the front five and at halfback,
due to injuries sustained over Christmas. And they found it impossible to get
going in the early stages, especially as the official rigorously enforced the
new scrum directives. Pocklington's first six scrums saw them penalised for feeding
four times, in addition to losing one against the head.
While Pocklington were
unable to build an early platform, Barnsley got an immediate boost when they kicked
a straightforward penalty for a late tackle after just two minutes.
Pocklington
continued to battle against a big penalty count, but they did improve as the half
went on with fullback Nick Bennett giving them some go forward with an elusive
run out of defence and Harry Allen involved twice in a good bout of interpassing
down the right. But the home side were always dangerous on the flanks and when
Pocklington lost possession near half-way after 23 minutes Barnsley were quick
to counter and smartly got the ball wide for a try in the left corner.
Pocklington
continued to have spells of pressure without looking like making a breakthrough,
while Barnsley defended strongly and made the most of Pocklington mistakes. Barnsley
extended their lead when they added another simple penalty after a harsh offside
decision, and Pocklington then wasted a chance to open their account and pull
three points back at the end of the first half when they were awarded a penalty
in front of the posts but chose to take a quick tap and knocked on.
The second
half followed a similar pattern. After Pocklington's halfbacks had initiated some
early attacks, they again turned over the ball on half-way - dropping a pass in
the middle and seeing Barnsley take full advantage to get it wide and score in
the right corner.
With lock John Tilley and centre Tom Stokes, later named
man-of-the match, both leading the way with some strong charges up the middle,
Pocklington tried hard to make things happen and came close with a strong linout
drive. Barnsley responded with pack pressure of their own in the bottom corner,
but both sides defended their lines stoutly. After Pocklington had been forced
to reshuffle through injury, Barnsley's backs then applied the coup de grace.
From inside their own half they broke the line when a wing arrived at pace in
the middle and a couple of quick passes brought them another long range score
and a 23-0 lead.
To their credit, Pock pounded at the home line in the closing
stages, and the pack drove over at the side of the posts only to be ruled to have
been held up. But Pocklington finally got their reward with a consolation score
when another forward surge ended with replacement prop George Fell plunging in
for the try which was converted by Bennett.