Pock Town went into this game knowing that a win was vital if they are to have any hope of retaining their league title.  With their opponents Selby propping up the league table, it would have been easy for Pock to have fallen into the mind-set of “just needing to turn up” to claim a victory, but a thoroughly impressive team performance ensured that the points were secured, along with a welcome boost to their goal difference.

The game started brightly, with both teams playing some neat passing football.  Selby’s play seemed to belie their lowly league position, and indeed the first chance fell to the visitors on 20 minutes, which resulted in them hitting the bar when Pock failed to clear a corner. 

However, five minutes later the home side took the lead, when the Selby keeper could only parry a stinging shot from Jamie Harvey into the path of George Pilkington, who made no mistake from close range.  Five minutes later and Pilkington pounced again to make it 2-0. A flurry of half chances followed for both teams, before the referee‘s whistle drew the half to a close with Pock in a seemingly commanding position.

However, any thoughts of a second-half goal fest that Pock might have had during the interval were quickly dispelled, when Selby pulled a goal back shortly after the restart. A through-ball split the Pock Town defence open and the Selby centre forward was able to hold off the chasing defender to slot low past Sam Flinton in the Pock goal.  But credit to the home team, who refused to panic, and within five minutes the two-goal advantage was restored.  Some determined play down the right wing from Ed Borrie forced a corner and from a great delivery Hugh Jones powered a header past the Selby defence.

Within five minutes the two-goal lead was increased to three, when some resolute play from the Pock midfield played Pilkington in on goal, but after his shot was parried, Alex Varley was the quickest to react and force the ball home from 3 yards.  Selby grabbed a second goal, but that seemed only to spur Pock on, and straight from the restart they stormed down the field to make the score 5-2, when a 25-yard shot from Nathan Smith rolled past the visiting  keeper whilst his defence were preoccupied with an offside trap.

Two more goals followed for Pock in the last ten minutes; the first allowed Pilkington to claim his hat-trick with a superb finish into the top corner after a flowing move.  The final goal came from the boot of Joe Aconley, whose 15 yard drive swerved past the keeper and into the bottom right corner of the net.

So a comfortable win for Pock in the end, but credit must go to Selby, who despite the heavy score line, continued to play some lovely football right until the final whistle.

Pock’s campaign to retain the league title now moves on to York Cubs this Tuesday.