POCKLINGTON RUFC moved up to 11th in North One East with a 31-17 derby victory at York.

The visitors took a grip on the game with two early tries at Clifton Park after York lost skipper Chris Fox to a bang on the head in the first five minutes.

Winger Jack Walters, in his first appearance for a month, made a strong run and released Christian Pollock in support. The Pocklington full-back scored the try but missed the conversion.

Centre Joe Holbrough then made a break and fellow centre Josh Britton ran 35 metres through the middle, dragging defenders with him as he crossed the line.

The conversion was good and Pocklington led 12-0.

The Pocklington pack were mobile and motivated and the visitors could have scored more points in the early part of the game, but York managed to exit their 22 and put some pressure on the Pock defence.

York number eight Shane Goulding went straight through and scored under the posts, with Jon Dawes kicking the conversion.

Referee Dean Walker was handling a feisty local derby well and, after the second scrap of the game, he spoke to both captains without the need to issue yellow cards.

Dawes missed a difficult penalty kick before Pocklington attacked again, but York fly-half Liam Hessay made a good tackle and there were injuries to both teams which broke up the game.

Pock then won a free ball, playing an advantage from a penalty, and Sam Pattison passed to Britton who had plenty of space to score. A great strike and a successful conversion followed.

Dave Rhodes executed a great tackle on a Pocklington flyer to set up a penalty to York on the next phase of play. Seeking points, York kicked to the corner.

Rhodes and Goulding did the hard work, making metres after the line-out drive stalled before Toby Atkin made a nice pass to Dawes who scored near the touchline. He added a fine conversion to make the score 19-14 at half-time.

As the second half began, the York defence looked to have got a better read on the Pocklington deep attack.

Dawes kicked another penalty for York and there were a couple of Pocklington attacking errors that were not present in the first half.

Hessay was kicking for territory well, but two quick tries midway through the second half sealed the game for Pocklington.

Pock scrum-half James Thompson was a threat throughout and he made initial inroads from a quick tap penalty near half way.

The York defence over-committed to protect their wing and Pollock stepped into space to score a converted try on the inside.

The fifth try for the visitors was a forwards score in the opposite corner as they ploughed over, with industrious flanker Will Sayer getting the touchdown.

Throughout the game, the Pocklington ball carriers made metres after the tackle as they were determined and hard to put down.

Also, the visiting back three fielded and returned the York open field kicks without an error and looked dangerous each time.

Pocklington, who counted former York head coach Sean Bass among their coaching staff, controlled the remainder of the game and York, despite their efforts, did not look like scoring.

Pocklington visit Driffield on Saturday looking to move into mid-table, while fifth-placed York travel to basement side Consett.