Pocklington 34 - 5 Old Pocklingtonians
Pocklington
regained the Bottomley Trophy with a convincing Boxing Day victory over Old Pocklingtonians.
The
game provided entertaining fayre for a big crowd, with former Pocklingtonians
through the years coming down to Percy Road for a Boxing Day reunion. Several
pairs of brothers, on both the same side and in opposition, added to the festive
spirit, while there was also a 'celebrity' referee in Alan Crozier, who was back
home in East Yorkshire for Christmas from his new base Down Under, where he works
for Super 14 outfit, ACT Brumbies, and is one of Australia's top referees.
The
OPs had won the trophy for the previous two years, and though Yara Phosyn sponsored
Pocklington went straight onto the attack it was the old boys who again struck
the first blow. They started a sweeping back move with quick hands deep in their
own territory which gave Driffield fullback Tom Hopper some room on the left,
and he galloped clear for a 60 yard try.
But though the OPs had some dangerous
threequarters, Pocklington were in control up front and they went back on the
offensive only to be thwarted by some determined OP defence. It took Pocklington
half an hour to eventually grind the old boys down and a rolling maul ended with
ebullient back row, Matt Davies, peeling off to score, Nick Bennett converting.
Pocklington then moved into a 12-5 interval lead when the pack rumbled 30 yards
from a lineout catch and drive and Alex Stuart got the touchdown.
It was end
to end stuff in the early stages of the second half before Pocklington again turned
the screw to pull clear.
Though the Ops were boosted by some nippy, though
diminutive, replacements, Pock skipper and prop, John-Paul Kelly, livened his
side up when he chased down an OP winger in front of the clubhouse. Then the rest
of his front five colleagues got in the mood with some expansive handling, followed
by the backs taking over with some incisive running.
Both times the OP cover
just got back to save the day, but after Pocklington had been held up over the
line they thrust strongly down the left then switched right for wing Steve Shephard
to race over. Fullback Charlie Allen, back from university, was enjoying his return
with a series of slashing breaks that brought him one try then set wing Mike Kemp
on a long sprint in for another, and with Bennett adding a further conversion
Pocklington moved out of sight.
And they finished on a high note as forwards
and backs combined in the dying minutes and hooker Dave Birch was in support to
finish things off with his side's sixth try.