West Park Leeds 11 - 23 Pocklington
Pocklington
have made a habit in recent weeks of being the better side and duly recording
the win, but at the same time failing to find the killer punch and managing to
keep their opponents interested. And it was the same again at West Park where
they dominated up front and won with something to spare without hitting top form.
West
Park have had a big, powerful pack in recent seasons. But they seemed to be missing
their usual heavyweights up front on Saturday and the Pocklington forwards controlled
the set pieces from the off - buckling the home front row at the first two scrums
and driving the home eight back at the first two lineouts.
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Pocklington had been able to turn possession and position into points they could
have had the game wrapped up inside the first quarter.
But they had to wait
until the 24th minute to finally break the deadlock. Skipper Sandy Mitchell had
stretched the home defence with a break on the left, and when the ball came back
right the forwards took over to pound at the line. They were held up in-goal,
then somehow failed to score from a pushover drive, but the score finally came
when they drove another lineout and new scrum half Ben Rees cut infield to force
his way over.
Pocklington's other newcomer, fullback debutant Steve Shepard
also made his mark with a weaving 40 meter run in midfield. But West Park occasionally
threatened on the break and knocked on with the line begging from a kick and chase.
Pocklington weathered the storm before working their way out of defence and Rees
made the initial break down the left before flanker Dan Wilson took over to race
30 yards to the corner to extend the lead.
West Park pulled back a penalty
in the third minute of first-half injury time. There was still time for Pocklington
to regain the offensive, and with one last play from a scrappy lineout Wilson
made an incisive break, then fed Rees who crashed in for his second try, Henry
Mitchell converting to make it 17-3 at the break.
West Park kicked another
penalty at the start of the second half, then both sides wasted good positions
due to handling errors. And despite Pocklington's pack retaining its ascendancy
their only scores came from two Henry Mitchell penalties, the second with 12 minutes
to go giving his side a controlling three score margin.
But Pocklington took
their foot off the pedal in the dying minutes, and after West Park had almost
broke through the middle, they managed a consolation try from a quick tap penalty
with the last move of the day.