A third win in a row over North East opponents saw Pocklington RUFC move up a place in the North One East table after a 38-5 success over bottom club Durham.

It took Pocklington ten minutes to open their account. The pack drove up the middle then released the backs for wing Billy Hardy to dive over in the right corner, with Nick Bennett converting from the touchline.

A similar move soon after saw centre Jake Bishop cross on the left to give Pocklington a good platform.

Durham belied their lowly position with some determined play before Pocklington regained the initiative for wing Tim Nixon to surge over, Bennett converting to make it 19-0 at the interval.

The Pocklington forwards took over after the break to lead their side clear. Prop John-Paul Kelly blasted over at the side of the posts, then young lock Tom Peters made a series of charges before finally being rewarded with a try. Bennett added both conversions.

Durham had their moments in attack, and after two Pocklington players were yellow-carded the visitors rumbled over for a consolation score from a close-range lineout.

Pocklington had the final word, scoring their sixth try from the last play of the day as centre Jack Holbrough burst through three tackles to cross wide on the left.

A losing bonus point was scant reward for a whole-hearted effort from Malton and Norton in their 24-17 North One East loss to big-hitting Cleckheaton.

Had the rub of the green been with the hosts, they could well have achieved much more against a good Cleckheaton side who have defeated the division’s two front-runners.

Ali Heard converted an early penalty to edge Malton ahead. But Cleckheaton stormed back into the game, a rolling maul leading to an junstoppable try.

Malton countered when Sean Emms snapped up a loose ball and set off on a 50-metre sprint to the line for a well-deserved try. Heard’s conversion nudged Malt back in front.

Before half-time each team notched a converted try.

Cleckheaton struck first, but the hosts rallied for stand-in skipper Sam Triffit to score. Heard’s kick gave Malton a 17-12 lead at the interval.

But when they tried to run the ball out of defence early in the second half, Malton were punished by a try.

Stalemate ensued for 20 minutes until the visitors’ expertise at catching and driving yielded a decisive try and conversion.

Malton travel to Newcastle on Saturday to play Northern and will take heart from this display. Emms and Jamie Rounthwaite again put in whole-hearted performances in the second row with Triffitt not far behind.

Tom Newitt, Cooke and Ryan Lonsdale, although well shackled in this game, were a constant thorn in Cleckheaton’s side and on another day may well have had more to show for their efforts.

York RUFC swept their way to a worthy 27-13 conquest of Wath-upon-Dearne in Yorkshire One.