POCKLINGTON overcame their frustrations to eventually blow away Yorkshire Three opponents Roundhegians in the final quarter to win convincingly 29-6.

There was only one side trying to play rugby from the outset at Percy Road. Pocklington turned on a high speed, expansive strategy while Roundhegians spoilt and kicked at every opportunity.

Pocklington were the better side, but Roundhegians hung in there thanks to some determined defence, Pock's inaccurate final pass and a referee home fans thought was unable to draw an offside line.

Pocklington retained the ball impressively, and put together some excellent multi-phase attacks, but Roundhegians continued to spoil and survive and it was only on the half way mark that the deadlock was broken when Kevin Bowling booted Pocklington ahead with a penalty.

Roundhegians equalised with a penalty on a rare attack and it remained 3-3 at the interval.

Pock went straight back onto the attack at the start of the second half and finally made the breakthrough when the forwards drove blind from a scrum at the side of the posts,. Play was switched left and big passes from fly half Bowling and full back Charlie Allen set powerful wing Tim Nixon free to cross in the corner.

Pocklington laid siege to the visitors, were twice held up over the line, somehow lost the ball as they dived over, and saw Roundhegians illegally kill the ball three times when a try looked certain.

Things got worse when a dropped home pass was booted down the other end for Roundhegians to kick a second penalty and close the gap to two points.

The game was briefly in the balance, but justice was finally done as play went into the final quarter.

The referee belatedly started to clamp down on offside, and when Roundhegians continued to infringe after flanker Scott Littlefair had twice been stopped on the line, Pocklington were awarded a penalty try that Bowling converted.

Pocklington relaxed and with Roundhegians tiring, the home side's superiority was turned into points in the closing stages.

Replacement wing Rob Jackson burst down the right, the forwards took it on and the ball was swung wide for the dangerous Nixon to romp in for his second touchdown, Bowling converting.

Then more excellent approach play down the left ended with the backs launching a set play that saw Allen slice through under the posts from 30 yards without a hand being laid on him, Bowling kicking a third conversion.

Pocklington should immediately have had a fifth try only for impressive young No 8 Dan Wilson to collapse with a pulled thigh muscle, when he had raced clear from halfway.

Pocklington remain third in the table but with second-placed Northallerton losing at home to Thornensians, Pocklington edged nearer the promotion placings.

Updated: 09:59 Monday, December 08, 2003