Following the disappointment of the first team defeat at Selby last week, Pocklington were resurgent on Saturday, in the rearranged home fixture against Old Brodleians. The Panthers continued their run of good form with a rare and welcome win at Driffield. Rearranged fixtures often cause availability issues and with regular fly half Harry Matthews unavailable, Pock had to move centre Louis Sangwin to number 10 on what was his 100th first team appearance.

Having won the reverse fixture at Old Brods with a last second try from Freddie Peel, and sitting only one place above the visitors, this promised to be close game. With Pock having suffered a heavy defeat at Selby the previous week and Brods having beaten Bradford Salem comfortably, the stakes were high but Pocklington turned on the style and ran out winners by 53-14.
After a tight opening 15 minutes, in which Pock conceded 5 penalties and had a man in the bin they managed to resist the visitors attack and Christian Pollock slotted a penalty to settle the nerves.
On 18 minutes Pollock put a penalty within ten metres of the try line and from the lineout Eddie Shirley secured clean ball and scrum half Rob Boddy went around the blindside to put winger Jed Jackson in for a try, Pollock added the conversion.
Two minutes later from a similar scenario, skipper Andy Argo-Bennett took the lineout ball, Boddy ghosted through the first line of defence before off loading to Will Husband (pictured) who beat 4 defenders before crashing over for a try, Pollock converted.
From the restart Pollock caught the ball and made a 35 metre break, with nobody in support he was forced to chip the ball over the oncoming defence and with two great pieces of footballing skill, kicked the ball over the try line before touching down. Despite being a man down for ten minutes, Pock had scored 19 unanswered points and secured a strong hold on the game. Pollock added a penalty just before halftime, following a rampaging break from Archie Willcock, making the score 25 nil at the break.
Early in the second half, number 8 Matty Downes picked up from the base of a scrum just inside the visitors’ half, he made a break, passed to centre Dan Elliott who made 20 metres before releasing wing Flynn Sangwin who ghosted through for the bonus point try, Pollock successfully converted.
Just before the hour mark Brods had a sustained period of pressure and were awarded a penalty try to open their account and gain a man advantage for the next ten minutes.
Pock were undeterred and after securing a messy lineout ten metres from the line and moving the ball the full width of the pitch in both directions, Pollock broke through for his second try which he converted.
Pock were now playing champagne rugby with great ball retention and fast flowing rugby from one side of the pitch to the other, eventually Husband got on the end of a pass and ghosted over from ten metres, Pollock added the extras and the lead stretched to 46 - 7. As full time drew near, Brods scored a consolation try which was converted and from the restart Flynn Sangwin took the ball, made a clean break before releasing Pollock who gave the ball to Jackson 40 metres out and he outpaced the defence to score under the posts. Pollock added the extras and Pocklington ended the day 53 - 14 winners.
The Panthers beat Driffield at Kelleythorpe by 22-17 to give themselves a good chance of making the Eastern Championship play offs.

Photo courtesy of David Wilkinson Photographery