MARSHAL TYRES sponsored Pocklington's Humber team overcame a sticky pitch and competitive opponents to record their first win of 2014 after a fully committed and hard working performance at home last Saturday. Despite an enforced last minute team reshuffle, Town had plenty of attacking threat in their line up and led by a MOM performance from Tom Rogers in central midfield, they could have scored in the 2nd minute. Dan Bonehams pass played in Tom Reay behind the St. Andrews defence but he elected to shoot with the outstep and couldn't keep his effort on target.

 

Pock suffered a setback on 4 minutes when a free kick into their area was knocked down and a good bit of play from their number 9 saw him create the space to turn and fire a shot in off the post for a 1-0 lead but 3 minutes later, the game was level when more god interplay by the Town midfield set up Boneham in the area and despite the defenders blocking his effort, Reay was able to force the loose ball home from close range. Pock took the lead 2 minutes after their equaliser when David O'Connor calmly brought the ball out of defence and played in Boneham on the half way line. Pocks leading scorer raced 60 yards down the left wing before cutting inside and his approach play was matched by a quality finish, across the keeper and into the far corner.

 

With Town running the game, they should have scored again on 13 minutes when a George Alport throw in started an excellent passing move between Rogers, James Haigh and Boneham who set up Dan O'Connor for a shooting chance that went the wrong side of the post but Pocks third wasn't long in coming as Reay made the most of some casual passing between St. Andrews defenders to nip in and steal the ball. A coolly lobbed finish beat the oncoming keeper as Pock opened up some breathing space and with Town enjoying the advantage in territory, St. Andrews were restricted to long range efforts that keeper Adam Thomas handled easily.

 

Pock made it 4-1 on 38 minutes when a short corner between Alport and Dan O'Connor saw O'Connor swing in a superb cross to the back post which was well met by his Brother Dave O'Connor for a powerful header into the corner. St. Andrews replied with a well delivered free kick of their own that only just went over the bar but Pock went into the interval in a good position to press on in the second half but as always seems to be the case in games between these sides, the second 45 became a scrappy, bitty affair as Pock allowed their game to be dragged down to the visitors level. The tone was set on 50 minutes when Pock failed to clear their lines and a St. Andrews player managed to convince the Referee that he had been fouled, with the resulting penalty confidently dispatched pass keeper Thomas who, having guessed the right way was unlucky not to make the save.

 

Town were incensed by this decision and for a while went off the boil, allowing niggly fouls and verbals to distract them from their game plan. Yellow cards were issued to both teams as some lenient refereeing let a lot go on the slippery surface and despite Pock pressing as the game went into it's final third, neither side was able to add to the score. Reay and Rogers saw shots blocked by last ditch defending while other passes just went astray with the lack of a quality final ball. With the Pock defence working well as a unit, St. Andrews denied Boneham and Rogers again with great tackles but with Town showing character and grit to grind out their win, the final whistle blew on a good afternoons work from everyone.

 

Pock will need more if the same as they go into next weeks away game against Crown FC, players meet at the club at 12 midday please.