York made a disappointing start to their North East Division One season by losing 44-0 at Halifax.

MAKING A GRAB: A Pocklington player tries to break free of grabbing Selby hands during their Thwaites Northern Division North East Division Two match on Saturday.

They were 36-0 down at half time, winger Aaron Canning scoring two of Halifax's six tries and Simon Tidy adding two penalty goals.

Redcar, who visit York on October 9, made a cracking start to their campaign by winning 24-16 at Goole. Mark Challener, Graham Evans and Rob Bryce scored tries for Redcar and Bryce kicked three conversions and a penalty.

Goole's fly half James Ruhmann scored all their points, converting his own try and kicking three penalties.

Pocklington made an excellent start to their North East Division Two season with an efficient 23-10 win at Selby.

Pocklington took the lead inside the first five minutes with a penalty by Gary Pearce.

Selby lost scrum half Matt Smith with a leg injury on the quarter hour.

Pocklington soon extended their lead from a scrum 15 yards out when impressive No 8 Jason Nicholson, handed off three home tacklers to cross at the side of the posts for fly half Pearce to convert.

Pearce missed a penalty at the close of the first half.

Selby failed to use the wind in the second half and Pocklington continued to do most of the attacking. Their pack was in command and wing Ben Connolly was a constant threat out wide.

Selby conceded a spate of penalties and Pearce was on target with two straightforward kicks to move Pocklington 16 points clear.

Stand-off Carl Paterson kicked a penalty for Selby with 15 minutes to go but Pocklington replied with the best attack of the day that brought a stunning 60 yard try.

Kevin Bowling cut through from inside his own half, raced clear up the middle and linked with fellow centre Rich Stephenson, who sent replacement flanker Paul Rhodes sprinting over for Pearce to convert.

In the last five minutes Selby ran a series of late penalties and in the dying seconds big wing Tony Godfrey crashed over for a consolation try, converted by Paterson.

In North East Division Three Gateshead won 18-14 at Ripon. Fred Oakes scored all Ripon's points with a try and three penalty goals.

Scarborough won 25-14 at Bradford Salem in Yorkshire Division One. It was 5-5- at half time.

Ken Procter, Grant Lenton and Bill Freeman scored tries for Scarborough, Freeman adding the goal points.

Also in Yorkshire One, Northallerton scored six tries in winning 38-3 at Thornensians, who had led 7-3 at the interval.

Northalleron's tries were scored by Charlie Turner (2), Karl Elliott, Jeff Foster, Steve Robinson and Josh Allerton, Mick Robson and Ed Bulman kicking the goals.

In Yorkshire Division Two, Malton and Norton hit back from 10-8 down at half time to beat Otliensians 13-10 at Chaffers Fields.

Andy Haywood scored a try for the home side and Dave Smith added the conversion and a penalty goal.

Richard Ellis and Tim Casey scored tries for the visitors and Neil Gilbertson added the vital penalty.

York RI lost 23-20 to Halifax Vandals in Yorkshire Division Two. Ericson Atkins, the former Harrogate and Yorkshire winger, scored a try and Phil Ambler kicked the rest of RI's points.

James Isherwood and Karl Mierski scored the Vandals' tries and Matthew Horne added both conversions and three penalties.

Rotherham Clifton beat Wetherby 17-3 at Grange Park in Yorkshire Division Four. Charles Paley kicked a penalty for Wetherby.

Nestle Rowntre trailed 13-0 at Garforth before losing 30-0 in Yorkshire Division Five North.

Harrogate won a scrappy Jewson National League match at home to Blackheath 22-17.

Ed Smithies, Andy Caldwell and Paul Clark scored Harrogate's tries and Matt Duncombe kicked two conversions and a 40-yard drop goal.

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