Pocklington Town Sunday 1

(Pocklington won 4-3 on penalties)



LANE RENTAL SERVICES sponsored division 2 Pocklington got through to the final of the Grand Central league cup after a dramatic penalty shoot out against a division 1 team who have already qualified for two other finals this season and are challenging for the league title.

It is not unfair to say that Pocklington have turned in performances that have varied between the sublime and the ridiculous during this season but on a night when they had to, they turned in an outstanding performance that wore down their opponents and fully deserved the win.

With Pocklington playing their fifth game in 8 days and coming off the back of a strength sapping 5-5 draw two days earlier, Thorpe had the benefit of a free weekend and understandably made a positive start to the game. Town were pushed back and forced to defend but with Rob Gibson, Mike Bower, Colin Peach and Craig Hargreaves showing plenty of determination, Thorpe were restricted to efforts from long distance that failed to trouble Adam Thomas in the Town goal.

A well struck free kick by Gibson was a rare opportunity for Town who were frustrated by some tight decisions as Dan Boneham attacked at pace down the right flank. When Boneham did beat the trap and get through one on one, his weak effort was easily gathered by the keeper.

Thomas made a couple of good catches under pressure but following a spell of Thorpe pressure, a well placed cut back and cross saw a header palmed onto the post and in by Thomas for Thorpe to take the lead.

Despite Pock losing concentration as they got the worst of some marginal decisions, they managed to get to half time still only a goal down mainly due to a fantastic block on the line from Hargreaves.

In the second half a great save by Thomas kept Town in it but Pock ensured that Thorpe never gained complete control and on 73 minutes Horne burst through the Thorpe defence, and somehow managed to slip the ball under the keeper for the equaliser.

Town dug in to protect their goal, to make it to the final whistle and the chance of a penalty shoot out. Thorpe scored first and though Thomas put Town’s first kick wide he made amends immediately by blocking the next Thorpe kick. With the teams level at 3-3 the fifth Thorpe penalty was hit wide and it was left to Hargreaves to coolly step up and despatch the winning kick into the bottom corner and put Town through to their first final in four years.

This Thursday sees Sunday complete their league campaign at York Nomads. The semi final win did come at a cost though and with Horne, Boneham and Bond all nursing injuries before the game, Town will be turning out a reshaped team.