POCKLINGTON RUFC were again made to pay for profligacy within sight of their opponents' try-line, as they were beaten 23-15 at home by fellow strugglers Birkenhead Park.

Ben Thoy's brace of excellent tries was ultimately not enough to prevent an eighth consecutive loss in a game which Pock could have won had they been able to turn their long periods of pressure into points.

Instead, they were made to pay by the more clinical Birkenhead side.

The result left Pock rock bottom of North Premier after 15 games, with only one win and one draw.

Pocklington were without key players through illness, but they were still able to make the first thrust of the game. However, a missed tackle in midfield allowed Park to break out and open the scoring with a fifth-minute penalty.

Soon back on the offensive, Pock's returning fly-half, Dan Elliot, took the ball up before his offload sent centre Thoy powering through to the posts from 25 yards, with full-back Christian Pollock adding the extras.

It was all Pocklington now with some determined approach work, but Park were continually let off the hook as the hosts kept getting penalised for holding on.

Pollock's 70-yard kick to the touchline pinned Park back and gave Pock chances to increase their lead, but they could not make the chances count. Their solid lineout and scrummage platform also meant they twice won attacking lineouts only to concede possession and then miss a straightforward penalty kick.

By contrast, Park demonstrated their ruthlessness as they broke out from their own 22 and raced 80 yards to the posts to edge 10-7 ahead before the break, and more needless Pock penalties thwarted the home efforts to get back on terms.

The game was still there to be won by Pocklington in the second period and, after a strong lineout catch and drive took them almost over, they battered at the Park line until one of several high Park tackles gave Pollock the opportunity to kick the equalising penalty, before departing the field with a turned ankle.

Having battled hard to level the scores, Pock were again penalised at the breakdown to immediately hand the lead back to Birkenhead.

This pattern of play continued, with Pock twice working their way up to the line before losing possession, only for Park to take it up the other end and drive over from close range for a converted try.

With 10 minutes to go, Pocklington took back the initiative thanks to the Elliot-Thoy axis, with Elliot again fixing the defence before releasing Thoy on the diagonal to charge 40 yards past half a dozen Park men and narrow the deficit to five points.

Pock threw everything at Park in an effort to win the game, but conceded more breakdown penalties to allow Park to edge away again with a penalty.

At the death, Pock turned down a penalty opportunity to go for another catch and drive to try and claim a bonus point, but they again lost possession and allowed Park to clear and claim the spoils.