26th November 2022
Marcus Lyon
MALTON AND NORTON THIRDS 14 POCKLINGTON THIRDS 20
One of the first lessons to learn when playing the game of rugby is it that the referee is always correct even when you may feel he is not. As the third team scribe the final score in my opinion was 25-14 in favour of Pocklington but with this report I must agree with the referee as I always did even in my playing days when the referee may even have been Russell Stead.
Arriving a few minutes late I could hear the cheers of an early Malton score through prop forward Pinky. I had to question the crowd to ascertain exactly how the try was scored and this is a rough response from at least 10 different sources before and after the game.
"Malton kicked off and Pocklington having secured the ball were stripped in possession by a rampant Malton pack led by James Machin at number eight and ably assisted by his deputies in the back row with Will Kemp at seven and John Ordidge at six.Malton took over a dominant rolling maul with second rows Sam Megginson and George Blackburne-Maze to the fore".Next I was told the front row with Pinky,Ben Hicks and Brad Spiller took over setting up the ball for scrum half Matthew Midgley to fire a classic third team bullet pass which stung the hands of Jordan Palliser at 10 who responded with a long pass to outside centre Rob Armitage. Skipper Stuart Collins took the return pass on a scissors ball cutting through the Pocklington defence before feeding Mark Green on the wing who made further ground before popping the ball kindly up for full back Joe Browne who was tackled just short but Pinky like every good prop forward was in support to barge over and open the scoring. Palliser made the conversion and Malton lead seven nil.
Pocklington soon hit back when a penalty missed touch and before you could say "England will win the World Cup", Pocklington’s winger crossed the line. A well taken conversion from the touchline evened the scores at 7–7. Malton hit back with a fine move involving Armitage and Collins which set up a ruck ball close to the try line but unfortunately it was Pinky who was held up. Skipper Stuart Collins then hobbled off the pitch with an ankle injury not caused by a Pocklington player but by his own infamous prop forward Pinky. Miles Hollingwood took over from Collins in the centre and made an outstanding debut with some good straight runs and textbook defence. Malton then enjoyed a purple patch when Pocklington kicked deep and it was Joe Brown at fullback who took the ball kicked ahead and having caught his own kick soon fed the backs but their efforts were held up by a resolute Pocklington defence.
Pocklington responded well with quick ball fed through their backs and once again their winger scored in the corner and the conversion was made to give Pocklington the lead which they added to just before half-time to lead 17-7 . Sometime in the first half Pocklington may have scored another try but this went unnoticed apparently by the referee but then again some of us may not have been paying attention!
The second half ebbed and flowed but the Pocklington defence answered all the questions that Malton could throw but unfortunately there was soon down to 14 men and it was Pinky once again who enjoyed a 10 minute break at the referee's pleasure.
Malton found themselves camped in the Pocklington 22 and once Pocklington regained possession their inside centre who enjoyed a superb game cut inside and at full pace found Brad Spiller the Malton prop in his way with a superb try saving block, albeit in his own half.Nigel Tench took over at stand-off making some excellent breaks cutting inside the Pocklington defence and always looking for support.Luke Cowton made a five minute cameo at the end. In the last five minutes Malton piled on the pressure coming close on numerous occasions. The Pocklington defence was resolute and if Malton had scored and converted they may have won the game depending on which version of the scores were adopted.
It must be said the referee was superb throughout the game letting it flow and was always in full control. This was an excellent third team game of free-flowing rugby with two teams keen to keep the game flowing making sure the crowd went home happy. Top marks again to 3rd team manager Pat Lane for getting out a strong third string with substitutes and Pocklington did prove to be an excellent test for them in a game that could have gone either way.
B Spiller
B Hickes
J Pinks
P North
S Megginson
J Ordidge
W Kemp
J Machin
M Midgley
J Palliser
G Davies
S Collins
R Armitage
M Green
J Brown
G Blackburne Maze
L Cowton
N Tench
C Johnson
