POCKLINGTON ended Alnwick’s unbeaten home record and moved a step closer to lifting the North One East title.

Once again, it was an impressive defensive display that laid the foundations for Pocklington’s success.

Karl Durkin scored the only try of the afternoon and Pocklington have now gone 417 minutes without conceding a try.

They have won ten consecutive league games and are seven points clear of West Hartlepool at the top of the table.

Alnwick, who started the game in third position, have now dropped to fourth.

The match had been in doubt for most of Saturday morning as heavy overnight rain put the Alnwick pitch under water at first light.

But eight hours of forking by the Alnwick groundstaff enabled the game to go ahead and Pocklington revelled in the mudlark that duly followed.

Playing down the slope, Pocklington had a clear edge up front in the first half and turned over a handful of home set pieces.

The game was scoreless for 35 minutes until Pocklington won a line-out deep in home territory.

The pack ground forward with a ‘pick-and-go’ series and No 8 Jack Holbrough wrestled his way to within a yard of the line.

The ball was moved wide where lock Karl Durkin plunged over.

Fly half Matt Procter nailed the conversion from wide out on the left.

Pocklington so nearly went in again from the re-start but were penalised for ‘holding on’ just a couple of feet from the line.

After an early Pocklington attacking flurry, at the start of the second period, Alnwick took control and enjoyed a period of sustained pressure.

The home side was boosted by a penalty goal after Pocklington had been pinged after winning a scrum and further penalty awards allowed Alnwick to kick the ball into the corner and ramp up the pressure.

Pocklington defended like demons and held out against 20 Alnwick phases before breaking out.

Alnwick repeated the act but were again repelled by Pocklington.

Finally, after absorbing everything that the home side could throw at them, Pocklington finished the stronger and went back onto the attack.

They pinned Alnwick back in the closing stages and, although Alnwick’s backs twice broke dangerously, Pocklington forwards Johnny Wood and Ben Stephenson both got across to make vital covering tackles to ensure their side maintained their advantage to the final whistle.

Penrith have moved into third spot following a 31-14 home victory over Huddersfield YMCA.

However, they are still four points behind second placed West Hartlepool who also have a game in hand.

Pocklington’s next game is at home to mid-table Morpeth this weekend while West Hartlepool are now preparing to host Alnwick.