2011-10-15 Scarborough vs Pocklington

   Scarborough 14; Pocklington 19

    Report by Dave Campbell

Pocklington: 19

Tries: Bennett 9 min, Stephenson 46 min, Nixon 56 min. Goals: Conversions Bennett 9 and 56 mins.

Scarborough: 14

Try: James 40 min. Goals: Harrison Penalties 6, 64, and 76 minutes.

Referee: Mr  John Rose (London Society)                                         

Scarborough came to Pocklington with a side decimated by injury, showing seven changes from last week’s starting line-up against Huddersfield YMCA.  Most telling absences from last week were in the forward pack which was missing two props, both second rows and No8 Phil Watson.  The players who came in did themselves proud, so much so that Pocklington were hanging on for a narrow but deserved victory at the death.

Scarborough kicked off in perfect conditions for rugby, with little wind and clear blue skies. An exchange of early penalties saw Pocklington fullback Nick Bennett miss with a long range effort in the 6th minute before visiting fly-half Tom Harrison edged his side 3-0 ahead two minutes later. Despite struggling at the scrums and lineouts Scarborough took the game to the homesters with a series of penetrating runs from wing Rob James, fullback Graeme Jeffrey and centre Craig Farrell. However it was Pocklington who were next on the scoreboard when they ran a penalty from in front of the Scarborough posts, moved the ball wide left and Bennett, joining the line, scored a try near the uprights which he converted himself to edge his side 8-7 ahead.

With the upper hand up front the home side were all over the makeshift visitors like a rash but heroic defence and no little midfield skill kept them in the game and some great work by scrum half Bill Freeman and breaks from Farrell, Jeffrey and Harrison kept the Pocklington defence on their toes. A great break by Farrell almost put Jeffrey through. The big Geordie fullback was stopped illegally but unfortunately Harrison missed the 25th minute penalty.

Most of the remainder of the half was spent deep in the Scarborough 22 with Scarborough’s defenders putting their bodies on the line defending drives and rucks near the try line.   Skipper Nick Ingham, hooker Ian Williams and stand-in back row Nino Cutino, and the whole side,  defended with steel and conviction as the young home pack threw everything at them.

Williams was sin-binned for collapsing a maul in the 35th minute whilst centre Marcus Edwards was blood binned for a head cut. In the dying seconds of the half and Pocklington laying siege to the visitors line, scrum-half Ben Rees dropped the ball in the 22 near Scarborough’s left touchline: Rob James secured and sprinted the length of the field to score an unlikely unconverted try and Scarborough led 8-7 at the break.

Pocklington came back strongly from the late first half reverse and took control with two fine early second half tries. The first coming from sustained pressure from the cohesive home pack which drove hooker Ben Stephenson over in the 46th minute following a catch and drive in the Scarborough 22. Bennett missed the conversion. The home pack continued to drive the visitors back and from a ruck wide on the right the ball was moved infield and centre Tim Nixon took the crash ball to score near the posts in the 56th minute. Bennett added the extras for 19-8.

Coach Dave Beck’s charges just refused to lie down and die and great hands by winger Tom Ratcliffe saw him make several incursions into home territory as the half progressed and Freeman, Farrell, Harrison and Cutino started to get the better of a tiring Pocklington side and Harrison reduced the arrears with a well-taken penalty when they were caught off side to close the gap at 19-11.  Scarborough turned the screw in the final ten minutes pinning the home side in their own 22 and they reduced the arrears to five points with a Harrison penalty in the 76th minute. The visitors had exclusive possession in the time remaining and could well have grabbed a late victory with a converted try but stout and well organized defence saw Pocklington hold on for a narrow but deserved victory.

Scarborough: Jeffrey James Edwards Farrell Ratcliffe Harrison Freeman Fish Williams Taylor Ingham(c) Readman Purdy Raines Cutino Substitutes: Burgess, Hoggard and Baird (all used).

Pocklington: Bennett Stringer Plumridge Nixon Pickard Mitchell Rees Webber(c) Stephenson Morton Hyde Peters Durkin Holbrough Wilson Substitutes: Bean Wilson Wilkinson.