Pocklington 44

YMCA 10

(Yorkshire I)

BASED on this, and previous showings, YMCA look set for a long and very hard season following last year’s promotion.

This week they were up against the team who beat them to the Yorkshire II title last year, and once again they were clearly second best, beaten comprehensively by a large and well-organised Pocklington side.

YM’s forwards were giving away a stone and a half a man, while in the backs it was probably nearer two stone, making Pocklington as big a side as they are likely to meet this season.

But the home side also play well as a team and support each other, which is something woefully lacking in YM’s performance – they have a total reliance on individual enterprise to force any sort of breakthrough.

YM were immediately on the back foot from the start with Pocklington’s forwards driving in hard and they were on the board after just six minutes when missed tackles allowed inside forward Tim Nixon to sprint over for the opening try, converted by full-back Bennett.

Six minutes later they were over again, after once more driving YM’s lightweight pack back in the maul and flanker Stephenson getting the ball down, although on this occasion the conversion failed.

Individual breaks from full-back Nick Clarke and back rower Mark Whitehead were the only glimmers of light for YM, but in truth both were snuffed out.

Two Bennett penalties either side of half time extended Pocklington’s lead to 18-0 before open-side prop Kelly broke free to run in unchallenged.