POCKLINGTON opened their Yorkshire Two campaign in disappointing fashion when they built a seemingly winning position only to badly lose their way and allow Old Brodleians to take a 23-13 victory.

Though Brodleians opened the scoring with a second minute penalty, Pocklington were soon putting together some multi-phased attacks to take the intiative.

And after half an hour they led 10-3 despite playing up the notorious Brodleians' hill and looked in complete control.

But they then lost all continuity and allowed a more limited Brods side to overhaul them and pull away for victory.

In that first half hour Pocklington twice came close before fly half Kevin Bowling jinked out then in before scrum half Sam Rees steamed up in support for the Wales students' cap to go over for his maiden Pocklington try.

Straight after, new player-coach Guy Hope was going full tilt for the corner when he was felled by a high tackle. Hope went off with facial injuries and the perpetrator escaped with a ticking off but Pocklington exacted their own justice by kicking to the corner, catching the line-out and driving over for flanker Scott Littlefair to touch down.

That was the high point as Pock's efforts descended in to a mixture of handling errors and penalties, allowing Brods to use their simpler tactics of kicking over the top to pull scores back and then stretch clear.

Pocklington's lineout became the only part of their game to function efficiently and they were restricted to a single second-half penalty by Bowling as Brodleians ran out winners with something to spare.

Updated: 11:48 Monday, September 06, 2004