POCKLINGTON RUFC were made to pay against Morpeth, who came away from Percy Road with a 32-20 win after Pock spurned a late chance.

In another case of so near yet so far, Pocklington pushed the North One East table-toppers all the way before Morpeth clinched their 10th successive victory at the death.

The hosts had trailed just 25-20 as the game went into stoppage time and, after kicking a penalty to the left corner, ran a move round the tail and stormed into the red zone, where a delayed pass was intercepted - allowing Morpeth to run 80 metres upfield and score under the posts to seal it.

Pock sit 10th, seven points above the drop zone and at least one win away from making sure of avoiding a second successive relegation.

On Saturday, they travel to strugglers West Leeds.

Pocklington took the early initiative against Morpeth, driving a lineout in the right corner for Archie Fothergill to give them a third-minute lead, centre Christian Pollock converting from wide out.

Pock went straight back onto the attack, but Morpeth broke out for a well-taken try from a cross-field kick and offload to make it 7-7.

Things continued to go wrong for Pocklington - who had to do a first-quarter reshuffle due to injury - as they started to commit infractions at the breakdown and saw the bounce of the ball go against them on a couple of crucial occasions.

Morpeth are too well-drilled a side to not take advantage and they kicked to the corner before rumbling over from close range. The conversion was added before a penalty on the half-hour extended their lead.

Pollock pulled three points back for Pocklington as the visitors went offside, but Pock continued to concede penalties and, upon receipt of a yellow card, Morpeth made the most of the extra man to cross out wide at the start of 10 minutes of first-half stoppage time to go in 22-10 up.

Back to strength on the restart, Pocklington redoubled their efforts. Number eight Joe Brown carried strongly up the middle, flanker Nathan Smith took the ball on down the left and, when the ball came back into centre-field, Pollock ran a great line to carve through, go under the posts and convert.

Pocklington were right back in it, but Morpeth regrouped with some hanging bomb kicks while Pock again went a man down, this time for a high tackle. This gave Morpeth's strong scrummage the upper hand and they added another penalty goal.

But Pocklington remained dangerous from broken play and front-rower Euan Walker combined with Pollock to feed Jackson on the right before committed Morpeth cover got across to deny them.

Pock came again through a midfield break by fly-half James Thompson, held the position and Pollock kicked a penalty to make it 25-20 with less than 10 minutes to go.

It put them in bonus-point territory with a chance of stealing the spoils, but Pocklington's big chance slipped by and - though Jed Jackson somehow raced back to make the tackle from the 80-metre breakout - Morpeth remained on the front foot to launch an out-and-in back move which took them another step closer to the championship.

In Yorkshire One, 11th-placed Selby shocked visiting high-fliers Pontefract 23-21. The Swans visit strugglers Old Rishworthians on Saturday.