ERROR STREWN MALTON PAY THE PRICE.
JAMES KNOCK
With the wind at their backs Durham kicked off and from a resulting line out Malton ceded a penalty, an ominous start to proceedings. But a break down the left by Tom Hoggard deep into Durham territory set up a move through the backs for a visit to the Durham line with the forwards powering over and Bailey Lamb claiming the try converted by Paul Angus on 6 minutes.
Three minutes later Durham approached Malton's 22 metre zone where they gained a penalty which was kicked to the corner. From the resulting line out the Durham no9 walked through the gap at the tail unmolested to register a 7 pointer.
On 20 minutes a long call at a line out by Malton missed it's target and set up Durham with possession and territory for the next 10 minutes in Malton's half and eventually a kickable penalty was conceded on 29 minutes and slotted through the sticks.
Worse was to follow on 32 minutes when a long clearance kick from Durham was well fielded just inside Malton's half by Hoggard and a call for an interchange with winger Ali Fothergill was inexplicably dropped in midfield,seized upon by a Durham flanker who set up a 7 pointer for a grateful home side.
17-7 at half time and with a return to simple, basic,driving rugby through the forwards taking play to the scoring zone not an insurmountable task.
Durham had other ideas and from Malton's kick off returned the ball deep into Malton's half. From the resulting possession Malton chose to run it of the danger zone but a mix up in midfield and a dropped ball led to a Durham scrum and a resulting 7 points.
Seventeen points the difference and 35 minutes on the clock should have been a task within Malton's capabilities to get something out of a self inflicted situation. On 60 minutes a yellow card against a Durham lock forward gave Malton the chance at scrum time,and indeed a scrum penalty in the Durham scoring zone was heeled by Malton and lay at the no8's feet but despite Malton's no9's protest to the referee was legally disrupted by his opposite number. Chance gone!
The next 10 minutes saw Malton put down passes,throw passes to the winger's hip,(on a good day collectable), and generally waste the one man advantage. Another Durham yellow card against the other lock forward gave Malton a very brief 2 man advantage reduced to 1 on the stroke of 70 minutes.
On 73 minutes Malton collected themselves together and from a penalty scrum a simple basic move was called. A pick up at no 8, and a feed to no9 who put in the blind side winger Ali Fothergill for 5 points wide out and a score line of 24-12.
The hunt was now on for a minimum 5 points to at least come away with a losing bonus point in the remaining 7 minutes still with a one man advantage.
It was not to be and indeed in injury time Durham rubbed salt into the gaping Malton wound when their no 3 waltzed to the line through at least 3 men to earn His side a well deserved bonus point against a rudderless and at times inept Malton.
A hard look at themselves is required and the desire and indeed necessity to come out of the blocks next week with all cylinders firing to take on a Driffield outfit whose 3rd place in the league hides a vulnerability as exposed by 10th placed Pocklington at Kelleythorpe this week.
Malton: Will Bell, Ali Fothergill, Jacob Stephenson, Tom Hoggard, Chris Joe, James Bulmer, Paul Angus, Liam Vaughn, Bailey Lamb, Rob Featherstone, Jack Hobbs, Charlie Read, Tom Lowry, Matt Bowman, Sam Triffitt (c).
Subs: (all used). Pete Hopkins, Will Dunn, Jamie Rounthwaite.
Scorers: Bailey Lamb 1try, Ali Fothergill 1try, Paul Angus 1con.
Red White and Black 2’s v BP Chemicals
PAT STEPHENSON
Your roving club reporter has been busy reporting on Brexit and Megxit so sadly not able to report on the mighty two’s much this season. So with a skip in my step I returned to the Gannock on what was a blustery day. As always this report is the pure figments of imagination plucked out of the wind and has no bearing on the actual events as reported by Donald Trump.
The two’s were stacked with players and a full set of finishers on the bench. BP arrived mob handed with full squad, subs, physios, supporters I doubt England will have as many on their team bus. As the teams warmed up it became evident that the two teams were of contrasting stature. BP resembled a gym visiting group of Peaky Blinders and Malt a scene from a Charles Dickens novel. This looked like a long afternoon at the coal face for Malt.
Matty Williams kicked off and Malt were straight on the attack head long into the gale. The ball was kept alive and moved rapidly by the latest Malton Brazilian acquisition JP.
A period of sustained pressure lead to a penalty infringement from BP and Matty Williams slotted the ball over. BP were a jovial bunch engaging in good banter all game their mercurial number 10 always at hand to advice Matty on his life choices. The large following entourage toured the line with a steady stream of witty humorous sayings. Meanwhile back at the game forceful running by BP backs and forwards was starting to take its toll on Malton. Nicky Embleton was the first to be side-lined with a shoulder injury, next with a neck injury Dempo, and finally the newly engaged Squelch. The bench of finishers faced 50 minutes of game time Lummers to prop, the evergreen Stu Collins and Ryan Page into the centre. Malt defended stoically until the final seconds of the half when old Malt player Toby Carvery crashed over for try which was converted for 7-3 half time lead.
Rich Johns has cast off his 70’s shell suit for a more business like red woolly hat and warm clothes. His team talk obviously worked as Malt used the wind and quick ball to press BP back into their 22. Unfortunately BP had relied on muscle to drive the ball up field in the first half not realising that there was a hurricane force wind down field. Matty Williams being no fool used his boot and the wind gaining 60 metres at a time much to the chagrin of his life coach the BP number 10. Eventually Malt crossed the whitewash with Stu Collins crashing over to many pieces of advice from the BP 10. BP were not down and out by any chance and from the kick off drove up field only for Markey Mark to ceases on an interception and run the length to extend Malt lead 15-7. Back again came BP and Toby Carvery crossed the whitewash to make it 15-12. Time was marching on and the pressure was mounting on Malt, unfortunately Matty’s life coach tackled him late and was yellow carded.
This spurred the 14 BP men on and Toby Carvery crossed for his hat trick. The returning 10 slotted the extras and with only minutes to go BP looked home and dry at 15-19 . Malt now emptied the bench with the ever happy JR coming on to add his mighty frame to the cause and Tom Riddolls to add some pace and guile. A dash down the flank by Tom lead to high drama as the sleeping linesman lifted a belated flag and confusion reigned. Malt kept to the task in hand and pressed up field camping on the BP line eventually the BP team were sucked in and Tom Riddolls was set free to sneak over from his father’s distance (no doubt growing in distance as the night wears on).
The score 20-19 and only seconds to go surely that was it but no another late night Parliament vote saw BP pressing straight from the kick off. A penalty conceded by Malt gave the ever cheerful BP 10 the opportunity to seal the deal. Sliced wide and into Markey Marks hands along with the engulfing BP pack. Held up over the line, scrum to BP the air was tense BP win the scrum back to the gleeful BP 10 in Johnny Wilkinson mode but slices the drop goal wide and Malt secure a deserved win.
A big thank you to the referee who kept the game flowing and under control. Thanks to BP for a cracking game of contrasting styles but in doubt until well into Bar time. Great team performance for all 22 players and a deserved win. Matty is far more at peace with himself following his life coaches advice, JR is now sporting a lovely Ronald McDonald nose, and thanks to the mighty threes for Stu and Jack
