Our ambitions of finishing in a highly commendable third place in North One East have taken a dent in the last few weeks with Alnwick leapfrogging us courtesy of a big win against Beverley last week.
The Northumbrians won 40-0 in a game which was held up for an hour after home winger Andrew Shell broke a leg. The game eventually restarted and play passed the regulation 60 minute mark for the result to stand.
Alnwick are now three points ahead of us following our mad March wherr we lost to both Morpeth and lowly Wheatley Hills.
MId-table Pocklington are coached by former West star Mick Watson, and he will arrive at Brinkburn to be greeted by many of his ex-teammates as the club stages a Former Players Lunch which kicks off at 1.00 with Peter Robinson the speaker.
On the pitch we will be fielding some of our up and coming talent, with 17 year olds Liam Checksfield starting in the centre and Joe Willis on the bench. Luke Mallinson starts on the wing, after being one of the stand-out players in the defeat at Wheatley Hills. We won the try count by four to one but lost to a series of long range lenalties.
Checksfield looked totally comfortable when he moved to stand off at Wheatley Hills. However, he will have to be content with starting in the centres with Gavin Painter fit again after sitting out the last three weeks after being concussed in the home defeat by Morpeth.
In the pack Owen Bennett is unavailable, however Liam Bailey returns allowing Danny Boatman to partner Chris Atkins at lock.
West: Connor Fewster, Luke Mallinson, Liam Checksfield, Peter Youll, Scott Butcher, Gavin Painter, Ryan Painter, Michael Hogan, Adam Rollins, Adam Coates, Chris Atkins, Dan Boatman (captain), Liam Bailey, Aaron Myers, Sam Miller.
Reps: Jack Angus, Joe Willis, John Bunter.
Pocklington: Matt Procter, Charlie Wilson, Josh Britton, James Flint, Nathan Saltmer, Joe Holbrough, Been Rees (captain), Ed Liversidge, Ben Stephenson, John-Paul Kelly, Karl Durkin, Archie Fothergill, Matt Davies, Jack Holbrough, Joe Brown.
Reps: Chris Morton, Tom Peters, Johnny Wood.