INJURY-HIT Pocklington took an early lead against Cumbrian opposition for the second week running - but again ended up well beaten, this time going down 50-3 at Kirkby Lonsdale.

The result left them second bottom of North Premier, with only one win in five.

They are currently severely under strength - with 10 front line players on the injury list - but, while they again tried hard, they are also struggling to adapt to life at the old National League Three level.

They are making their first-up tackles but are facing sides adept at offloads to create openings, and with the pace to then turn those openings into scores. That was amply demonstrated in the first quarter at Kirkby Lonsdale.

Pocklington charged onto the attack and took the lead with a sixth-minute penalty from full-back Dan Elliot.

Pock continued to retain the territorial advantage, setting up camp in the Lonsdale half without really threatening a breakthrough.

In contrast, the home side made just two brief visits over halfway in the first 22 minutes and both times came away with a try - the scrum-half twice showing Pock a clean pair of heels to scoot over.

Pocklington back-rows George Wagstaffe and Owen Jackson and lock Archie Fothergill worked hard in attack and defence to get their side back on track, while debutant front-row Euan Walker made a good impression off the bench.

But Lonsdale showed equal endeavour up front from their committed forwards, and had greater firepower behind where Scott Armstrong - a Premiership player not that long ago with Northampton - ran the show and went in for the third home try to make it 17-3 at the interval.

Things got worse for Pock after the break as Londale's pressing game increasingly forced errors that they were quick to exploit - dropped Pock passes handing Lonsdale three scores as they moved out of sight at 38-3.

Pocklington battled on and continued to have decent spells on the offensive. But they were unable to turn pressure into points, and Kirby Lonsdale were content to absorb attacks then hit on the counter, tactics that brought them two more late tries.