Cleckheaton fell to a 33-28 defeat at home to Pocklington in the final play of an absorbing North East One clash at Moorend.

Coach Thiu Barnard started in the second row in the only change from the previous week's game at Morley.

Pocklington started strongly with their big pack carrying the ball well. On six minutes as Cleckheaton were trying to launch a counter attack, Dale Breakwell threw a long pass but it was intercepted by centre Richardson who raced away to score an easy try, Christian Pollack adding the goal.

Breakwell reduced the arrears with a penalty and further atoned for his earlier mistake on 26 minutes when he spotted a gap and sprinted clear for a fourth try of the season. He also added the goal and Cleckheaton took the lead 10-7.

This was short lived as Pocklington hit back with a second try when the left wing sped clear to score in the corner.

The kick was wide and Cleck held a 15-12 interval lead when second row Barnard - doing a decent impression of flying winger - dived over in the corner for a spectacular try.

Early in the second half, Breakwell kicked a straightforward penalty to extend the advantage but the lead changed hands again when a kick out of defence failed to find touch and Pocklington went through several phases before an inside pass saw the visitors cross for their third try of the game, Pollack converting. He added a simple penalty two minutes later to extend the lead to 22-18.

Mike Hayward made some determined runs out of defence and up front Brad Marsden and Tom Austin got through a ton of work in both attack and defence.

On 56 minutes, right wing Jack Marshall got on the end of a Breakwell crossfield kick and scored a great try, taking the full back, corner flag and the Cleckheaton touch judge across the try line with him. Breakwell added a towering conversion and Cleckheaton regained the lead 25-22.

Pollack added another penalty before Breakwell replied to restore the lead to 28-25. On 63 minutes, it was a level game after another Pollack penalty.

The intensity continued with both sides battering each other in an attempt to force a win. The turning point came with what was the final play of the match. Pocklington put the ball into a scrum 30 metres from their own line, Pollack chipped over the defence and a wicked bounce took the ball away from the cover, allowing Pollack to race 50 metres to score.

Cleckheaton were not at their best. The Pocklington pack were immense throughout and, having outscored the home team by four tries to ,three just about deserved the victory.

Brad Marsden took the man of the match award with Pollack taking the honours for Pocklington.