Ionians came out on top in a match in which both sides were depleted by injury and absence. Pocklington came with recent form to match our own, but had lost no less than 8 players both to injury and the 6 nations match at Murrayfield. The Ionians squad too had been depleted, with Will S & James C having been called up to the U17 game, Max C having a county trial for Notts, Lincs & Derbys, (none of which he lives in!!) and other players absent for family reasons.

So with this game offering the opportunity for other players to step into some big shoes, the early exchanges were going to be telling. Ionians, playing into the wind, set about the game with intent. Pocklington's initial attempts to take the play to us were met on the gain line with forthright rebuttals. Tackles rained in from Andrew J, Boss and Ethan, while Adam secured the early turnover. We then put together a succession of phases, with Aiden, Jack and Ben driving ferociously around the Pocklington fringes. Each thrust from Jack was committing 2 or 3 defenders and, with the back row securing quick and good ball, Ben and Aiden had gaps to run at, Callum feeding them the ball intelligently. Though Pocklington threw themselves into the tackles, they could not prevent another breakthrough from Aiden after 7 mins. He looked certain to score himself, and though the Pocklington defence again worked hard to deny him, they could do nothing to stop the offload and Joe's excellently timed run. 5-0.

Perhaps realizing they were losing the battle up front, Pocklington tried to play a wider game, aided, it should be said, by a series of ruck infringements by Ionians. But though they showed plenty of speed and trickery in their running, the Ionians defence was solid. Andy R, Shaun, Boss, and Andy J ensured that little came through the 10 channel, while Joe and James K (replacing Henri in the centre due to a recurrence of an old knee injury) put in some big hits in the centre. George and Henry too were solid out wide. And when Pocklington did break through, Will R was on hand to put in an excellent and probably try saving tackle just outside the 22. Whenever they were halted, Adam threatened their the ball time and again in the loose, Shaun won more than his fair share of lineout ball and Ethan won several strikes against the head to spoil Pocklington's ability to sustain attacks.

With hands on the ball, we always looked a threat. Callum and Andy R were controlling the game well, driving the forwards left, then switching play right through the backs to stretch the Pocklington defence still further. Joe made a half break, Jack picked up and linked to James who was brought to ground on the 22 metre line. With the Pocklington defenders looking to steal the ball, Will R, up in support from full back made an excellent clearout taking 2 defenders with him and allowing Aiden to pick up, drive and offload to George on the wing, whose run was halted just 5 metres out. Shaun jumped well to spoil the Pocklington lineout and forced them to put the ball out, giving us control. Another towering jump and catch set up a trademark try, with the forwards securing ball, then driving remorselessly for the line, with Ben touching down. 10-0 after 20 mins.

Pocklington were struggling both with injury - two bloodied noses and a damaged finger - as well as the pounding from our pack, but they refused to buckle even though they were down to 14. Their defence was at times heroic and when they tried to use the wind to gain territory the bounce of the ball was unkind, one kick even carrying from their 10 metre line way over Will's head and on and on through the goal area and out of play. The scrum back on the 10 metre line might have broken lesser teams. But with Ionians mostly controlling the ball, they still continued resist for another 12 minutes when quick hands down the line found Joe and Henry bearing down on the last defender. Joe's feint inside and well timed pass left Henry with a simple run-in. 15-0 and with yet another injury for Pocklington, sadly a more serious hamstring problem, the half was brought to an early conclusion.

The second half largely repeated the first but the game became more fragmented. Henry, Shaun and Ben took stints to swell the Pocklington ranks, while Nat come on to good affect again at prop, Elliott G moved seamlessly into the back row and Elliott G-W and Stephen G came on to each wing. Still Ionians controlled possession and with the wind behind us, the back three were able to take closer order. A kick from their 22 saw Will R catch and return, evading the initial chasers then linking well with the midfield to set up a ruck just outside their 22. Elliott G secured the ball which then squirted out on the blind side and Ethan, ever alert, gathered and ran in unopposed, with Joe converting. 22-0.

More pressure followed, and more Pocklington defence to admire. They won their share of ball too, but were unable to breakthrough either wide or through the middle. Knock-ons frequently hindered their progress and handed us back the ball and time and again we came close. A drive from Nat down the right was halted, Adam was held up over the line, Elliott G was stopped just inches short, Elliott G-W was bundled into touch some 8 metres out. Eventually Jack punched a hole in the middle of the park, crashing through 3 or 4 tackles, losing his boot in the process, before finally being bought to ground. From the ruck, quick hands from Callum allowed Aiden to crash though a gap in an exhausted defence to score under the posts, Will R converting. 29-0

As well as we were playing, it should be noted that Pocklington were playing mostly a man down, but also with great heart and they refused to concede. It was fitting then that, with time running out and having cleared their lines to the 10 metre line, they pounced on a fumble at our line out, which Ben (in Pock colours) hacked on only for it to bounce into the hands of their most potent runner who ran clear to score. 29-7 final score.

We have to be pleased with our performance, especially in the first half, but equally we have to accord huge respect to a Pocklington team who arrived with a bare 15, suffered bad luck with injuries throughout, but who put up a backs-to-the-wall performance that was much to be admired.