POCKLINGTON RUFC recorded a welcome 27-26 win at home to West Leeds - and after so many recent last-gasp defeats there was great relief when the final whistle this time gave them the spoils.

Despite the victory, this was probably their worst showing of the past month against the team sat second-bottom of North One Eas, but they worked hard to come from behind in the second half after earlier gifting the visitors easy points.

They remain third-bottom as Cleckheaton, immediately above them, also won, but confidence will be boosted for Saturday's derby at high-flying York.

Pocklington made the perfect start, several pick-and-go thrusts ending in a penalty for Christian Pollock after three minutes.

There was an early warning of things to come as a loose pass almost gave West Leeds a try from the restart, but Pock scrambled clear and resumed the offensive for full-back Pollock to make it 6-0 on the quarter-hour with a 37-yard penalty.

Pocklington then let Leeds back into the game with a rare attack. A pass was dropped in midfield but the home defence hesitated and the visitors strolled under the posts for a converted try.

Pock won back the restart to again batter at the whitewash through their forwards, and Leeds, losing discipline, gave away a string of penalties and had a man sin-binned before Pollock kicked a third goal for 9-7.

However, the hosts again presented Leeds with a score, a lineout going awry and handing possession to the visiting pack to drive over.

Pock were stung into response as centre Josh Britton burst clear from halfway, and when he fell in sight of the line, the ball was popped up for scrum-half James Thompson to plunge over.

However, in the last minute of the half, Pock tried to run out of defence but had the ball stripped to leave Leeds with an overlap run-in and a 17-12 interval advantage.

A scrappy start to the second period saw a man from each side yellow-carded after a skirmish, then Pock twice got to within a foot of the line but lost the ball.

The home side finally clicked as the backs ran the ball 60 yards up the left, the forwards took it on up the middle, and quick hands right sent wing Jed Jackson flying over in the corner.

Pock were suddenly slicing Leeds open without being able to apply the finishing touch.

Pollock burst 40 yards down the touchline but Thompson was unable to hold his overhead pass with the line begging. Then prop John-Paul Kelly sold a dummy near halfway and charged away up the middle before being caught five yards out.

It finally came good when they turned the ball over 40 yards out and Jackson was in space on the short side to race in for his second score.

That put Pocklington 26-17 ahead. However, in three of their previous four games they had gone into the last 10 minutes two scores up only to be pipped at the post.

West Leeds rallied and, after almost getting over in the corner at the start of stoppage time, they remained on the attack and were awarded a penalty try after Pock were penalised three times in succession in the red zone.

There was now one point in it and one minute to go, but this time Pock saw the game out.