A slack start cost Pocklington dear at Yorkshire Two second-placed Bradford Salem, where they went down 16-13.

Pocklington shipped early points and could have been more scores down by the interval, but they turned things round to look the better side for most of the second half and had Bradford hanging on at the end.

However, they were left to rue their early errors.

Pocklington gave Bradford a couple of penalties in the opening minutes, then dropped the ball on halfway for the home side to hack 50 yards for a converted try.

Teenager Nick Bennett pulled a penalty back after a rare Pocklington raid, but Bradford kicked a third penalty before the interval to make it 16-3 and it could easily have been worse for Pocklington as the home side also missed a couple of golden scoring chances.

Pocklington looked a much better side in the second period with scrum-half Sam Rees directing operations.

Bennett kicked a second penalty and Pocklington made half a dozen clean breaks through their backs but failed to find the score.

They took it up another notch in the final quarter and after Bennett had twice hit the post with penalty attempts their man-of-the-match and flanker Scott Littlefair plunged over for Bennett to convert.

In injury time Pocklington almost stole it when they broke dangerously down the left from inside their own half but the Bradford cover got across to knock Sam Butcher into touch a few yards short to the sound of the final whistle.

Updated: 09:53 Monday, November 01, 2004