Malton & Norton have a good home record this season with seven wins and one loss. Last time out, they lost at West Hartlepool though who York beat (fairly) comfortably. York are top of the league having won away at Morley and beaten Pocklington in their two games this calendar year. Declan Cusack was out so Liam Hessay played at fly-half. John Aikman, Ross White (captain) and Will Scholey continued in the front-row. Cade Robinson was unavailable so Chris Fox and Luke Stockton were at Four and Five. Oscar Bell and Joe Simpson were the flankers supported by Freddie Smith who covered them as an interchange. Shane Goulding played at number Eight with Joe Maud returning from injury and rotating into the back-row as a replacement. Jonny Frank and Will Fordy were the centres, Rob Hodges and Sam Forbes on the wings. Ben Dyson-Dent was at full-back with Toby Atkin at scrum-half. Dan Coe completed a solid eighteen as a front-row rotation. Most spectators wore a hat or a hood to protect themselves from the cold mid-January wind. The pitch was in good condition but did have a muddy exposure and it wouldn’t play fast. Malton & Norton were, as always, well supported by the local community and a good number of the crowd in the stand had travelled east from York.

Malton started the game securely. They weren’t expansive but they showed a strong scrummage and kept the ball tight. York made tackles, stayed organised and kept their discipline. When Malton did spread the ball, York were able to cover the wide attack safely. Paul Angus, the Malton scrum-half and goal-kicker, missed an early penalty chance. Liam Hessay opened the scoring. He collected an open-field kick, passed to Toby Atkin and supported Toby to receive the return. He converted his own try. Both teams made mistakes. Quick handling was difficult as the cold bit the player’s limbs. Malton & Norton kept the game tight; they had possession but no attacking breaks and their progress was limited by a sound York defence. Malton did score though. Number Eight, Sam Triffitt had a clean run that put the hosts deep in York territory. On a free-play from a scrum, James Bulmer (fly-half) prodded the ball in to the try-zone and centre, Will Bell, raced through and touched down. Paul Angus levelled the scores with the conversion.With five minutes to go before half-time York scored three quick tries. From an almost standing start, Will Fordy received the ball in space at outside-centre forty metres out. He broke two tackles and fended off the third on his way to the try-line. Just after Malton re-started York quickly spread the ball wide to Rob Hodges on the wing. Rob ran with the ball then chipped it over the covering defence. The Malton full-back, Tom Hoggard, mishandled the collect and Rob capitalised. Shane Goulding then broke a tackle just inside the Malton half and he ran in. Liam kicked all three conversions. York had defended well and made the utmost of their attacking opportunities. It was Malton 7 v York 28 at half-time.

A hard-working York driving maul forced Malton back to open the second-half. Space was created for Jonny Frank in the centres who released Toby Atkin in support. Toby scored and Liam kicked his fifth successful conversion. After a fractious period in the game with sustained Malton attacking possession, flanker Matt Bowman, scored for the home team. Paul Angus missed the conversion. The game was somewhat over after Sam Forbes fed Ben Dyson-Dent who finished off some quick handling by the York back-line; Liam was unlucky to miss this conversion. Jack Hobbs scored for Malton near the end of the game to make the final score Malton & Norton 17 York 40.
This was an organised all-round effort from York against a tough opponent. A week off next Saturday before York host Bradford & Bingley on Saturday February 1st.