POCKLINGTON RUFC had to settle for a losing bonus point from their trip to Tyneside as they went down 18-12 at Percy Park.

This second successive narrow defeat, plus their previous controversial points deduction, left Pock 10th in North One East as they seek an immediate return to North Premier.

The team now have a week off before resuming league action with a home derby against Malton & Norton on October 13.

Pocklington fielded a reshuffled back line against Percy Park, but their pack laid down an early marker at the scrummage - Park had the bigger forwards but Pock had the bigger push.

The pendulum swung one way then the other, with Pocklington launching some cogent back-row charges but then giving the position away when coughing up possession - something that was to undermine their efforts all afternoon.

They needed a couple of last-ditch tackles to save the day after Percy Park twice broke through in such circumstances.

Pock continued to battle their way upfield only to lose the ball inside the home 22 due to unforced errors, but they kept working hard in defence into the stiff breeze and reached the half-hour mark still well-placed at 0-0.

However, Percy Park then battered up the middle and stepped through to the posts to open the scoring on 33 minutes.

Then on their next attack they added a penalty for 10-0.

Pocklington's perennial problem hurt them badly as they conceded again in the last minute of the first half - forcing a pass on the attack for Percy Park to gobble up the loose ball and go to the other end to make it 15-0 at the break.

Pocklington pulled that back within two minutes of the restart as replacement prop Euan Walker made a weaving run into the red zone and, when the ball came back, fly-half James Thompson sliced through for Christian Pollock to convert.

At 15-7 and the wind behind them, Pocklington were back in the game, but they were unable to maintain momentum and Park quickly added another three points with a penalty.

It became a stop-start affair. Pocklington had their moments, full-back Pollock and wing Jed Jackson sparking one thrilling 80-yard raid down the left, but Pock's inability to keep the ball and Park's more clinical kicking game stopped the visitors building any sustained pressure.

They finally got a good break inside the last five minutes. A sliced Percy Park kick bounced straight into Pock hands and a couple of quick passes sent flanker Ed Davidson racing clear to the corner.

At 18-12 it put Pocklington in bonus-point territory and gave them a sniff of stealing the game.

But Park made sure they kept the visitors at arm's length and ran down the clock to protect the spoils.