Pocklington Town Under 14's travelled to Rawcliffe on Sunday for the return fixture in the match which saw them capitulate earlier in the season. However Pocklington looked a different side and following back to back victories against Brooklyn looked a different proposition.

For this match Pocklington started with a different shape with a few players starting in unfamiliar positions, and it worked.  Rawcliffe soon found that this match was not going to be easy in dry conditions and in a wind which added further challenges.

The ever improving Matthew Pearson added snap in the central of midfield alongside Elliott Russell and Connor Marshall with Fraser Hansen running the front line.  Indeed Town started the strongest and pushed forward early. Rawcliffe's first attack didn't materialise until six minutes in when keeper Adam Falkingham saved well down low to his left.

Pocklington’s Achilles Heel in this match was their inability to defend crosses into the area. It has been for many occasions this season and is something the squad will need to build upon next season as they look to get to the ball first.  Eight minutes into this match they didn't from a free kick and Rawcliffe took the lead. In a similar situation, albeit from a corner Pocklington again failed to clear and Rawcliffe doubled their lead ten minutes later.

Pearson continued to battle hard in midfield and Marshall added strength as Pocklington still looked dangerous. Brett Cox and George Booth worked well as a centre back partnership and admirably dealt with anything Rawcliffe tried to put through the middle, but again a free kick was given away and Rawcliffe again punished Town and scored their third.

Just before half-time, Pocklington themselves had free kick and Hansen's delivery found Marshall whose effort was blocked and Russell was unlucky to fire the rebound just wide. Hansen himself fired wide as the half-time whistle blew.

In the second half Pocklington started the stronger of the two teams and pushed forward. Matthew McGurk came on for Will Frazier with Josh Craven switching flanks and Dan Litherland moving to left back.  Ten minutes into the second half Litherland and Hansen combined and found McGurk on the right hand side of the box. His cross found Hansen whose scissor kick went straight through the keeper's legs and Town were now only 3-1 down with a chance to build. 

This was the point where Pocklington needed to hold strong and build, but sadly the referee was unable to spot a Rawcliffe handball and the injustice perpetrated in a fourth Rawcliffe goal.  Brett Cox continued to cover well across the back line and Joey Cahill and Richard McKay entered the fray and both battled strongly themselves. Booth looked classy.

It was McKay and Cahill's tenacity and determination to win that enabled them to find Russell on the right-hand side midway through the second half.  Russell drove forward into the area and his perfect cross across the proverbial corridor of uncertainty found Hansen coming in from the left and he grabbed his second of the afternoon.

Now, at 4-2 down could Pocklington build on this ? Sadly not.  Two quick goals from Rawcliffe killed the game and although Marshall fired another Pocklington effort just over the result finished in a 6-2 defeat although many observers will think that Pocklington played better in this game than they did in their latter victory against Brooklyn.