Pocklington won 26-10 at home to lowly Leodiensians, where they always looked the likelier side but struggled to finish off their dogged opponents.

Indeed, though Pocklington attacked for the first ten minutes, it was Leos who took the lead with their first real attack - creating an overlap to score wide on the left.

Pocklington were stung into action and full-back Guy Hope and wing Harry Allen twice combined dangerously down the right to set up the positions for fly-half Henry Mitchell to kick two straightforward penalties and edge the home side a point in front.

The homesters then pulled clear as centre Sandy Mitchell's crafty inside pass sent number eight Dan Wilson sprinting over, Mitchell stroking a touchline conversion.

But Pocklington failed to stamp their authority, and though Henry Mitchell kicked a third penalty, Pocklington's 16-5 interval lead came courtesy of Leos missing three kickable goal chances and a vital turnover on his own line by Pocklington's lock and man of the match, John Ainslie.

Leos missed another couple of goals early in the second half but their bigger pack camped on the home line until they finally twisted over for a second touchdown.

Pocklington then responded with a special try as their back row charged up the middle before Mitchell's delayed pass hit Hope at full steam for the full-back to blast through to the line from 30 yards.

Another spell of Leos' pressure tested the home defence before Pocklington broke to the other end, Allen battered to within five yards and when the ball was moved wide Mitchell dived over to put his side out of sight.

With Pocklington winning, they leapfrogged back over Dinnington, who lost 6-3 at Scarborough, to go into third place in the Yorkshire 2 table.

In the other entertainment of the weekend at Pocklington, tourists Cambridge University Women overwhelmed a Combined Universities XV 71-5.

After a hard night's socialising at Percy Road, Cambridge were pushed much closer yesterday afternoon, but they still had the

edge as they managed to beat Durham University 29-15.

As part of the Pocklington RUFC link up with Premiership outfit Leeds

Tykes, the Tykes' England and British Lions threequarter Iain Balshaw will be at Percy Road tomorrow night when he will be taking a coaching session with Pocklington's Under-15, U16 and U17 sides.

Updated: 11:30 Monday, December 05, 2005