Pocklington Preview

Date: 14 February 2018

This Saturday Preston Grasshoppers travel to the East Riding of Yorkshire making a first ever visit to Pocklington Rugby Club at First Fifteen level after a two week break since the victory over local rivals Rossendale.

Words by Mike Forshaw, photo by Mike Craig

Our hosts look certain candidates for relegation as we enter the last quarter of the season. Their current situation sees them some twenty three points behind eleventh placed Kirkby Lonsdale and almost certain to be returning to North East 1 after just one season at this level.

The break in Hoppers proceedings would have given our nearest rivals chance to make up ground, but Hull’s game at Kirkby Lonsdale was postponed once again and Lymm suffered a surprise defeat at the hands of lowly Ilkley whilst Harrogate couldn’t manage more than a couple of tries in their victory over relegation candidates Morley.

Hoppers lead at the top is still twenty points ahead of Lymm and Harrogate who are in second and third places with just one game in hand. Hull are a further point behind these two with two games to make up on Hoppers.

Hull and Lymm face each other in their rearranged game at the end of this month whilst Harrogate travel to a resurgent Sandal on the same day. Hull’s rearranged fixture at Kirkby Lonsdale will probably take place on the 17th of March.

Hoppers will be happy getting back to winning ways in their game against local rivals Rossendale last time out, but will be rather disappointed they relaxed and let the visitors back into the game for the final minutes when they had looked a thoroughly well beaten side. Jack Ward’s injury time try will serve as a reminder to the home side for the battles still to come. As predicted ‘Nellie’ included a goodly number of ex. Hoppers in his starting XV and none shone brighter than the recently returned Phil Mills

A couple of other interesting games developed a fortnight ago when Sandal turned round at half time twenty six points to nil in deficit only to end up winners by seven points with their visitors unable to add to their half time total. Whilst at Lymm the home side must have been confident of the full five points after scoring three in the first half giving them a twenty one points to nil lead at the turn-round only for visitors Kendal to have other ideas scoring the only points during the second period.

Our hosts this week Pocklington have risen through the Yorkshire leagues in recent years culminating in  Champions of North East 1 at the end of last season where as mentioned previously, unless a miracle occurs they seem destined to return. Let’s just hope the gods delay a week if this is to happen!

Just a reminder that there’s a supporters coach travelling to Yorkshire on Saturday morning, departing at 9:30 not 9:45 as originally advertised and there’s still room for additional numbers with the usual lunch and travel cost in operation.

Back to Club News