The weather was bright and fresh for the North East One game between York and Malton & Norton. It was the fourth game of the season for both teams. Malton & Norton have recorded two wins, over Huddersfield YMCA and West Hartlepool and one loss to Moortown. York have started the season with narrow losses to Driffield and Morley before a good away win at Pocklington last weekend. Ross White captained the York team from hooker with Dan Coe and Will Scholey starting either side of him in the scrum. Cade Robinson joined Chris Fox in the second row, Luke Stockton moved to flanker. Declan Cusack was the fly-half, Jon Frank and Sam Forbes were the centres.

York began the game playing in Malton & Norton’s territory. The early scrums resulted in a penalty to the home team and the York pressure made Malton & Norton’s own feeds less stable. Despite continued phase-play, York didn’t score and the visitors broke up-field. Fly-half, James Bulmer, had space to carry the ball against a scrambling York defence and he was stopped five metres from the try-line. Number Eight, Matt Bowman, carried the rest of the way to score. James Bulmer missed the conversion. York returned to the Malton & Norton half and used the ball there. Despite errors by York, Malton & Norton couldn’t reverse the field position. York continued to attack with structure. Taking a quick tap penalty, scrum-half Toby Atkin got within a metre of the line. Using his strength and body position, York Number 8 Shane Goulding pushed over the line to score. Declan kicked the conversion. York continued to retain possession in Malton & Norton territory and they came close to extending their lead. As it happened, Malton & Norton did move up-field and scrum-half, Chris Inman took a quick tap penalty. He released outside centre, Will Bell who ran in to score under the posts. James Bulmer got the conversion. Malton & Norton extended their first half lead when wing Ali Fothergill broke through the York defence in centre-field. After an offload he got the ball back and made it to within ten metres of the try-line. Will Bell was on hand to get his second try as the ball was recycled. The conversion was off the post and out. There was enough time before half-time for York to advance up-field and get the ball over the try line but it was held-up and the whistle blew to signal the break. The score was York 7 Malton & Norton 17.

With advantageous field position to begin the second-half, Toby Atkin took a quick tap penalty and scored. Declan kicked the conversion. York continued to attack and create chances. Sam Forbes found some space and he broke a tackle before scoring. Declan kicked the goal and York had re-taken the lead. Declan Cusack returned York to the Malton & Norton twenty-two with an accurate kick from hand. Then the visitors Number 8 Matt Bowman was sin-binned. York’s Liam Hessay (on at full-back) passed to Sam Forbes who got his second try and a bonus point for York, Declan kicked the conversion. On set-piece ball, York secured the game. Off the top of an attacking line-out, Declan passed to Liam who then released Rob Hodges in stride and in space on the wing. Rob scored and Declan made it five successful kicks from five attempts. With a three score York lead, the final fifteen minutes of the game resulted in turnovers of possession for both teams but Malton & Norton didn’t score to get back in to the game. Full time 35-17.