Unfortunately, the much bigger home pack girded its loins and managed ten points in the last five minutes after forcing two scrum penalties.
We had gone into the game without influential centre Peter Youll who joined Billingham during the week, and with line-out jumper Jake Linighan going down with illness.
The hasty reshuffle saw young James Borthwick taking Linighan’s place with Alex Barker returning after injury to start on the bench alongside debutant James Pearson.
The 17 year old centre almost made a dramatic impact when he came on in the second half. Unfortunately, he couldn’t hold onto the ball as he ran a great line close to the home line.
Minutes later he was off to hospital after dislocating a shoulder.
The odds were against us from the start after going behind to a seventh minute penalty try on the first scrum in our 22. Referee Kris Garland making the award after the front rows popped up.
There was a further blow when Adam Coates had to leave the field after both packs had collapsed on top of him. He was followed at various stages by Chris Atkins, Max Tennant and James Borthwick.
Coates’ side were still regrouping when Ed Davison skipped up the left touchline to give Pocklington a 12-0 lead.
We came back with Aidan Jackson-Smith almost in at the right corner, closely followed by a burst for the line from the mercurial Liam Bailey which was stopped just short.
The pressure on Pocklington was eventually relieved with a penalty for holding on.
They made the most of it with fly half Christian Pollock breaking from inside his own half to send Ed Davison in for his second to take the score to 19-0.
Worse was to come despite West continuing to have the better of the territory.
This time Pollock intercepted in his own 22 to race the entire length of the pitch to score under his posts – only to blot his copybook by putting the easy conversion under the bar.
The visitors eventually got their reward when Zac Southern took a clearance kick in his own half. He sent Ryan Painter away up the left and after Will Hilditch raced up the touchline the skipper was on the inside to take the scoring pass with Southern converting.
The score made the half time team talk a little easier for coaches Stu Waites and Jamie Connolly and the visitors came out looking the more likely to score.
Winger Lewis Scott looked to have done the trick on 45 minutes when he dived in at the right corner after stand-off Ollie Connolly had set the ball moving quickly along the line. However, Mr Garland ruled that the ball had not been grounded.
Undeterred we continued to press forcing a yellow card for Davison after repeated penalty offences.
Pearson made his brief but notable first appearance, and Adam Coates had to limp back on as Borthwick went off with a head injury.
What luck there was wasn’t going our way with an unfortunate bounce robbing Will Hilditch as he kicked clear and went to collect just ten metres from the try line.
With Liam Bailey packing down at No 8 on our put in the visiting pack continue to make the best of the scrum, and with Pocklington down to 13, after full back Harry Jackson was also yellow carded, we finally crossed the line.
Painter was the most alert as the forwards bombarded the home line and finally spotting a gap in the hard working defence to dive over and bring his side to within ten points.
With ten minutes left that margin was reduced to just three when Bailey breaking smartly and his inside pass sent in Jackson-Smith with Southern again converting.
We were looking good for at least a losing bonus point as Pocklington looked increasingly rattled, but they resorted to their best weapon to clinch the game.
Twice we were penalised on our own put-in and Pocklington made us pay with a penalty from Pollock followed by a try for replacement Anaru Kere-Rako after a line-out.
Another defeat but this was a much better all round team performance and we will go into next week’s home game with Malton and Norton in much better heart.
Pocklington: Harry Jackson, Billy Higgins, Andy Little, Jed Jackson, Reece Dixon, Christian Pollock (capt), David Davison, Chris Morton, Euan Walker, John-Paul Kelly, Kym Russell, Josh Papa, Nathan Smith, Marcus Britalnd, Ed Davison.
Replacements (all used): Ed Liversedge, Ben Rees, Anaru Kere-Rako.
Tries: E. Davison (2), Pollock, Kere-Rako, pen try.
Conversions: Pollock (3)
Pens: Pollock (1)
Yellow: E. Davison, Jackson.
West: Matt Siddle, Lewis Scott, Will Hilditch, Zac Southern, Max Tennant, Olli Connolly, Ryan Painter (capt), Liam Pennick, Andrew Rollins, Adam Coates, Chris Atkins, James Borthwick, Liam Bailey, Ben Armstrong, Adam Brown.
Replacements (all used): James Pearson, Aidan Jackson-Smith, Alex Barker.
Tries: Painter (2), Jackson-Smith.
Cons: Southern (3).
Referee: Kris Garland (West Yorkshire).