U13 York vs Malton & Norton (Home)

A good attendance by supporters, friends and family. Mrs Poskitt quite rightly challenged the inappropriate footwear sported by one or two fathers. That lady certainly knows her onions (or is it carrots?)

Well done to Freddie for coming to cheer his mates on, despite illness.

On with the Game, which promised to be an intriguing fixture. Both squads looked to be well matched in size and skill.

First Half

York k/o, Malton try to run it back; great tackle by Will K, stopping them in their tracks. The ball comes through to Andre who cuts across the pitch towards the corner, then back in towards the posts to open the scoring with barely a minute on the clock (0-5); no conversion.

Malton restart, and come straight back at York, with a similar move to York’s to level the score up with only a couple of minutes gone (5-5); no conversion. Whew, exciting stuff.

York restart, and some good rucking by the York Forwards. Barney sets up a maul, but play goes into touch. The Malton line-out is won by them. Then Malton are awarded a scrum; the ball comes to Barney, but he’s taken to touch 3m from the Malton try-line. The Malton line-out is taken cleanly by Fraser, who makes a charge for the line, but is just stopped - the ball gets buried in the ruck 1m from the try-line. York scrum, and they are trying hard to find a way through a solid Malton defence. Joe dives for the line, but grounds it just short of the line. Malton penalty restart, and they break away, getting all the way back to the half-way line, until a great tackle by Will S stops them. Malton win a scrum against the head and run it through to the York 22m line. York defending hard, but it’s a penalty to Malton 10m out. York get the ball back and Will K makes a sprint up the wing to take play back to the half-way line. Malton awarded a penalty on half-way, and some loose play by York as they knock on at the 22m line. York ruck the ball back well, and Harry clears the ball back to half-way. Malton exerting tremendous pressure now, with a series of runs at the York defence, to get back to 10m from the York try-line; nail-biting stuff. A York line-out is won by Malton, and play is taken to the York try-line, but Samuel and Andre combine well to clear the ball up field. There follows an intense passage of play between each sides’ 10m line. Finally Barney breaks away, and weaves through the Malton defence to score (10-5); no conversion, as the ball hits the cross-bar.

Malton restart, and York Forwards are acting better as a unit now, with some good rucking, Joe being notable at this point. However, a side entry to the ruck by York, and the penalty to Malton leads to a breakaway up to the York 22m line, stopped by taking play into touch. Malton win the York line-out, and York are fortunate to have another line-out soon after which they win this time, but then infringe. The Malton scrum is won by them, but York wrest it back and clear it upfield; a knock-on by Malton, and York win their own scrum. Andre tries to break away again, and gets past 3 players, but is just taken into touch by the half-way line. Half time.

Second Half

Malton k/o and York take play back into Malton territory. Finn and Harry combine well trying to find a way through the Malton defence. Zak also has a go, but is stopped. York Backs pressing hard, but then knock-on. The Malton scrum is won by York, but good fore-sight by the Malton defence as they intercept the ball and break away. The try attempt is saved by Tom, but Malton are straight back again, and this time find a way through to equalise (10-10); converted (10-12).

York restart, and Malton run it back – stopped by a great tackle from Samuel. York pressing hard, looking to take the lead back, with good attempts by Zak and Ben amongst others. York penalty 5m from the Malton try-line, Fraser makes a charge at the defence, but is held-up; the York maul can’t make headway this time, and then York knock the ball forward. York keep the pressure on though, and are camped down in the last 5m; eventually it’s Will K who gets through in the corner (15-12); no conversion.

The Malton restart is collected and kicked back a good distance by Ben. Andre nearly gets through, but is held-up, and loses the ball 1m from the try-line. Malton scrum 5m out, and Will K nearly gets through. Malton drive York back in a maul, but lose the ball to the York Forwards in a subsequent ruck. The ball comes out to the Backs, and Andre make a diagonal dash for the corner, draws the defence and passes to Finn to run it through (20-12); no conversion.

Malton restart and follow-up well; they pressure the York defence and are awarded with a penalty 10m out from the York try-line. The York defence is not ready, and are caught napping; 3 missed tackles by York, and Malton deservedly score (20-17); converted (20-19).

York looking determined after the restart, with some good rucking and a clear intent to score again. Play moves up towards the Malton try-line, and it’s Ben who dashes through the last 3m to score (25-19); no conversion.

Both sides working hard in the last few minutes to try and ensure the win, but there is no further score. Full time.

Congratulations to both sides for a hard fought, thrilling, and tiring match.

Final Score York 25-19 Malton & Norton