Selby 25 - 5 Pocklington
Pocklington came off second best at league leaders Selby, where the home side's experience invariably told when it mattered.
Pocklington fielded a young side with an average age of 23, whereas the home side contained a core of battle hardened veterans. And the difference was exemplified in the second half when Pocklington spent significant periods on the offensive with no reward. Seven times Pocklington's attacking play brought them a scrum or lineout put in within sight of the Selby line, and every time Selby stole the ball to clear.
The opening exchanges were quite closely contested, with Yara-sponsored Pocklington even managing to take an early scrum against the head and seeing centre Guy Wilson slice through in midfield only to be harshly brought back for crossing. Selby opened the scoring with a 10th minute penalty, but Pocklington responded with a spell of sustained pressure on the quarter hour as five times a Pock forward tried to batter over from two yards only to be driven back by determined home defence.
Selby's dangerous backs gave a hint of things to come when they ran the ball back to halfway from on their own line. But on a couple of occasions that the home side had stretched the cover a dropped pass saved Pocklington's day.
It was still anyone's game as interval approached, but Selby then capitalized on a couple of Pocklington errors to score twice in the last seven minutes of the first half. Pocklington had been pinned in the bottom corner but then drove out up the left flank. However, they turned over possession inches in from touch and Selby quickly shipped the ball wide to dive over in the opposite corner. Selby immediately went back onto the attack and when a sliced Pocklington clearance kick went straight to a Selby player 30 yards out the ball was again spun along the backs for an overlap try to put the home side in the driving seat at 13-0.
Pocklington started the second half brightly with fly half Henry Mitchell and wing Sam Butcher sparking some dangerous raids down the right. But when Pocklington's pressure forced an attacking five yard scrum Selby drove them off the ball to turn the tables.
Pocklington declined to kick at goal with a couple of penalties and put the ball in the corner, but Selby again won the ball when it mattered most to claim the lineout both times. However, Pocklington kept plugging away and their hopes were lifted with a try out of nothing when Mitchell sent a crosskick from inside his own half into acres of space on the right. Butcher caught it on the full to sprint up the touchline and though he was hauled down ten yards from the line fullback Nick Bennett raced up in support to dive in for the try.
But Pocklington's thoughts of a comeback were quickly extinguished as four minutes later Selby drove a lineout on the left then good passing out of the tackle put their right wing in at the flag.
Hooker Dave Birch tried hard to get Pocklington going forward, and they made another series of forays into the Selby 22. But again whenever Pocklington took the ball up to the home line the Selby pack came away with it.
And Selby had the
final word when they scored their fourth try into injury time. Selby had always
looked the more clinical in attack and some good interpassing ended with the home
back row supporting their backs to go over at the posts and complete proceedings.