Pocklington 18 - 15 Ripon

In a game low on quality but high in drama, Pocklington snatched victory over old rivals Ripon thanks to a penalty with just thirty seconds to go.
How Ripon must love Pocklington's Nick Bennett. At Ripon in November he kicked the winning penalty inside the last five minutes. Back at Percy Road on Saturday he had been way off with all four of his previous goal attempts but then found the target it mattered to give his side a last gasp victory.
It was a game that Yara Phosyn sponsored Pocklington should have had wrapped up long before but ultimately that they hardly deserved to win. They did the hard work into the wind in the first half, but then lost their way with the elements as time after time they gave Ripon an opening by trying an over-elaborate pass.
On a bright and breezy day, the wind was a big factor. And though Ripon took the lead with an early penalty, Pocklington had more of the early attacking. After they had come close on the left, centre Guy Wilson cross kicked right where wing Joe Holbrough though he had scored but was ruled to have knocked on in the scramble for the line. Pocklington held the position then drove a lineout for flanker Scott Littlefair spin off and score. Pocklington looked to be in control but their kicking game was wayward and they kept coughing up possession and Ripon eventually took advantage to cut through for a converted try. And Pocklington escaped by the skin of their teeth on another couple of occasions when they tried to be too fancy and gave the visitors an opening.
Pocklington made a good start to the second half, as man of the match Joe Holbrough got them going with a couple of powerful bursts. They missed an easy penalty, teenage lock Dan Pickard was stopped yard short and Littlefair had another effort disallowed because the referee was unsighted. But persistence paid as Dan Wilson broke from a scrum and fly half Henry Mitchell strolled over to eventually touchdown and tie the scores at 10-10.
With the wind getting stronger Pocklington should have pulled away as they resumed the offensive, but they then let Ripon through for an 80-yard breakaway try to regain the lead. Pocklington kept choosing wrong options but at last got it right with ten minutes to go. Replacement lock Karl Durkin kicked to the corner with his first touch, then a neat lineout move put scrum half Ben Rees clear and he handed on for No 8 Dan Wilson to score.
Ripon were desperate for some sort of result to pull clear of the Yorkshire Two relegation zone - they are one of four teams that could go down on the last day - and they thought they had still done enough to get a draw until the last play when a high tackle 38 yards out gave Bennett the chance to put the boot in.