First v Pocklington
Knottingley 3 Pocklington 35
Although the score line looks as though it was
a one sided affair, Knottingley were in the game for all but two ten minute
spells in either half when Pocklington capitalised on some woeful tackling, as
Knottingley let their heads drop and for all their possession could not turn it
into points.
From the start, and playing into a strong wind,
Knottingley showed purpose and for the first twenty minutes totally dominated
proceedings. Through the strong running of props Paul Sutcliffe and Des Wilson
they were able to set up field position for the backs to go close in the opening
minutes, but Pocklington held out.
The forward platform they established led to
the home side putting the first points on the board, when the visitors were
guilty of going over the top at the ruck. Paul Rockett duely obliged to land
three points from the resultant penalty.
This galvanised Pocklington to put the Marsh
enders under pressure, Knottingley weathering the onslaught with fine defence.
They counter attacked through their forwards, linking with scrum half Steven
Rockett, who released the backs but were unable to break the visitors defence.
Up until now the discipline had been good, and it was not until the sixteenth
minute that Knottingley conceded their first penalty, which proved costly. A
misdemeanour by stand off Steven Coutts was interpreted as a high tackle, for
which he was sin binned.
From this , and against the run of play,
Pocklington were allowed to run in four unanswered tries in a ten minute spell,
converting one, as the Knottingley
defence crumbled. And this at a time when the visitors also had a man sin
binned. With half time approaching, Knottingley appeared to have a mountain to
climb, but were still upbeat about the second half, especially if they could
repeat their play of the first twenty minutes.
Knottingley started the second half brightly
when an early break from speedster Paul Rockett released his fellow winger
Darren Wright to have a tilt at the visitors, but the opposition defence snuffed
out the threat. Awarded a penalty, the visitors put in a speculative kick, which
they regathered, and although Steve Rockett chased down the attacker,
Pocklington had the support to cross the try line for another
score.
It was the home sides turn to attack when the
marauding Paul Sutcliffe, who had a fine game throughout, got his forwards
driving on but once again they were unable to break down the defence.
Pocklington were then awarded two successive penalties, giving them the field
position to score a further try.
As if things could not get worse for
Knottingley, they lost the services of firstly Mark Sutcliffe through injury,
and then fullback Chris Charlton on the twenty minute mark to a red card.
Although already committed to the tackle he was deemed to have taken out his
man. Pocklington kicked the three points from the resulting
penalty.
Albeit down to fourteen men Knottinglewy upped their game, but
the penalty count was building against them nine to three. Even when decisions
went their way the referee persisted in not allowing warranted advantage to be
taken, instead giving scrum feed to Knottingly, adding to their frustration. A
good forward move through Sutcliffe and Leadbitter pressurised the visitors for
Coutts, Ashe and Steven Rockett to
continue the attack, but to no avail. It was one of those days when the bounce
of the ball went against them, and although they went close as they battled to
the end, they were thwarted each time.
The lesson, that has to be learned from this,
is that collectively as a team at this level they have to play and concentrate through every aspect of the
game for a full eighty minutes, or face being punished every
time.
Stand out players for Knottingley were Paul
Sutcliffe, Desmond Wilson, Barry Leadbitter, skipper Michael Ashe and Steven
Rockett.
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