Pocklington produced a committed performance to record a well-deserved victory over Heath by 22-16.

Halifax-based Heath, who won the Tetley Vase at Twickenham last May, fielded a big pack and a prolific goal-kicker, but Pocklington responded with a much improved showing from their forwards, and some enterprising running rugby brought them three quality tries.

Pocklington began like an express train, with scrum-half Johnny Frank to the fore in two sparkling handling moves that saw them go close at both corners. They held the position and fly-half Kevin Bowling put them ahead with a neat drop goal, but though Heath played a more limited game they kicked their way ahead with two penalties.

It was end-to-end stuff as Pocklington came back strongly. And when they won good ball 20 yards out, Bowling threw a massive dummy and shot through the gap to side-step the full-back and touchdown, Mark Taylor converting.

Pock's pack had the upper hand in the scrums, but they surprisingly struggled in the line out throughout the first half. And when they again lost their own throw on the half hour, Heath took advantage to get their left wing over in the corner before slotting over the conversion and a penalty for a 16-10 lead.

Pocklington's line out suddenly started to function and sparked their revival. Taylor and wing Tim Bolton galloped 50 yards down the left flank to take their side onto the attack, then the pack snaffled a Heath lineout and Bowling sent Henry Mitchell slicing through in midfield. The Pocklington centre timed his pass to perfection and Marcus Wood stretched out of the tackle to score. Bowling converted to put his side 17-16 in front.

Pock looked likely to ram home their advantage on half-a-dozen occasions, but they were unable to finish their opponents off, before Bowling ran in another solo try when he went blind, worked a dummy scissors with Wood and looped round to dot the ball over in the corner.

Pock had an anxious moment late on when Heath almost got clear from a charged down kick, but the home defence held firm to take the result.

Updated: 10:48 Monday, January 20, 2003