POCKLINGTON preserved their North One East status with one game to play following a 34-20 home victory over York.

The visitors, meanwhile, will end the campaign having lost all six of the derby clashes against nearest neighbours Pock, Malton & Norton and Scarborough.

Pock secured victory with James Thornton, who defied a rib injury to play because of a front-row injury crisis, grabbing two tries to add to those by Christian Pollock, Ben Rees, Dave Birch and Sam Pattison.

Pollock kicked the other four points - having missed his first six attempts at goal, which left the visitors still in the game at 20-20 going into the final quarter.

In contrast, York marksman Liam Hessay, who started out as a Pocklington mini and junior player, was on target with all four of his kicks.

Hessay also crossed the line for the Clifton Park outfit, as did Shane Goulding.

The two sides went into the Feathers Field clash in contrasting form as York had enjoyed back-to-back high-scoring wins, while Pock had lost four on the spin.

York also got off to the better start despite being without Luke Stockton and Chris Peace, with a rearranged back-line seeing Sam Elliot start at stand-off and Harry Taylor on the wing.

Almost immediately from the Pock kick-off, the away team seized on a loose ball within their 10-metre area.

It was transferred to Elliot, then George Davies, who made an incisive break before feeding Hessay to complete an impressive sweeping move and add the conversion.

Pock hit back on six minutes after being awarded a penalty when York did not release on the ground.

The visitors were further penalised in midfield and, while the kick was missed, the momentum had changed and, following a good scrummage, the ball was worked to Pollock who scored a neat try from out wide.

Soon afterwards, the lead changed hands as Pock lost the ball on the attack three times, but regained possession from turnovers.

After being tackled into the corner flag and stopped half-a-dozen times in sight of the line by a committed York defence, Pock then drove a five-metre scrummage and scrum-half Rees plunged over at the side of the posts. The kick, however, again went wide.

York winger Rob Hodges was sin-binned moments later after being adjudged to have knocked on intentionally and, from the resulting penalty, the home side kicked to the corner, allowing hooker Birch to thrust over from the catch and drive.

Shortly afterwards, York were awarded a slightly fortuitous penalty, and Hessay made no mistake with the kick.

The hosts went into the interval 20-10 up, though, as their backs attacked down both flanks before the forwards arrived and Thornton wrestled over for Pock's bonus-point fourth try.

But the half-time score still flattered York as 11 kickable points could have put the hosts out of sight.

The second half started with Freddie Potrykus, York’s front-row sub, causing problems as a massive scrum demolished the home pack and, although the consequent penalty failed to find touch, Pock were penalised in the subsequent play and Hessay kicked a good goal.

Thornton was also sin-binned for infringing at a ruck and, following a short drive by Isikeli Mulase, the visitors broke from their 22 and Goulding sprinted 75 yards to the posts, with Hessay converting to restore parity against the run of play.

A semblance of fairness, though, would eventually be reflected in the scoreline.

Another strong Pock attack saw wing Pattison cross in the corner, only to be brought back for a forward pass.

Nevertheless, the home pack went on to batter back to close range and, although the final offload to Pattison landed at his feet, he hooked the ball on and followed up to score, with Pollock suddenly finding his kicking boots to send the conversion sailing over from wide out.

Forwards and backs also combined in a 70-metre attack to take play into the red zone and the ball was smuggled up to the line, where Thornton burrowed over for his second touchdown, with Pollock converting.