Malton’s year kicked off in fine fashion.
Rob Featherstone
Firstly happy new year to all our players, members, supporters and opponents. On Saturday we welcomed Glossop to the Gannock for what we think is only the second time the previous time being nearly fifteen years ago, earlier this season when we travelled to the Derbyshire dales and came home with a forty points to three victory but it certainly wasn’t a walk in the park and yesterday's game certainly followed that pattern too.
Pre match we welcomed over sixty past players enjoying our inaugural "five p's" lunch alongside Ben Stockdale Fabrication, RWS Farms and C & SD Leckenby contractors swelling the pre match meal to over one hundred and fifty guests. The pitch was magnificent despite the deluge of water we’ve had lately we can offer a huge thanks to our grounds staff. also on more of a sad note we held a minutes silence for Romey Willis and Alan Robson who’ve sadly passed away in the last few days.
Kicking off Malton sent the ball deep into Glossop’s twenty two but the tale of the first half started early with Malton giving away their first penalty at the first ruck, Will Dunn going of his feet allowing Gloss to clear their lines. However it didn’t take long for Malt to get into their shape, two line breaks shortened the Gloss defence allowing Blair Foster to pick a hole and shimmy the fullback to dot down under sticks on five minutes. Bulmer sent it over for the extras 7-0
After a round of scrums, resets and a couple more conceded penalties Malt in the fourteenth minute got their field position they needed, Bulmer and Foster sent centre Tom Foan through a gaping hole only to be stopped by the covering fullback, enter skipper Sam Triffitt who came steaming through an inside line to take the pop pass like every good back row and streak under the sticks for his try. Bulmer sent it over again 14-0
Glossop started to get a foothold finally getting the bus lag out of their legs, moving the ball quicker resulted in more penalties and more field position conceded. After twenty eight minutes the penalty count was nine to two against and skipper Triff was issued a team warning from the man in the middle, unfortunately from the resulting maul into ruck Dunn found himself rolling out onto the ball the ref had no option to send him for ten minutes. Glossop then kicked to the five meters and tried to grunt over but again the ref saw a Tom Lowry shaped paw in the ruck and sent him to the dug out for ten too.
A repeat kick to the corner and a grunt over was in order but this time the thirteen Malton men couldn’t keep the Glossop lads out, after a few close phases the ball waas spun to centres who picked a hole to drive through, conversion good 14 – 7.
Malton restarted well winning a midfield scrum turning into a midfield penalty after our front five were leading the charge at scrum time. Bulmer slotted it. 17 -7
Gloss hung the ball high on the restart and despite recovering it well the ball skewed out the side with a Gloss player picking up and running in unchallenged from twenty plus meters. Great conversion 17-14 at the half time whistle.
Crocks and Triff led the team at half time I’m sure encouraging the lads to keep doing the basics and play our way the holes will open up.
Restored to fourteen men at half time then fifteen three minutes later we started well making big runs up the middle thus allowing more space on the wings, almost earning the right to go wide and within eight minutes of the restart Javan was sent up the left only to be illegally tackled in the act of scoring penalty try 24-14. (unsure if I saw a Yellow issued to the Gloss player but I presume there was.)
Next up one of the most satisfying tries you’ll see Malton score our high pressing blitz defence working in the Glossop half resulted in the ball being stolen and shipped quickly to the supporting John Vasconcelos to power over from fifteen meters carrying three would-be tacklers over with him. Bully nudged it over 31-14
It was all one way now Glossop struggling to clear their lines to touch sent one high into the hands of replacement Shane Poole for him to hit the accelerator and pick off a tired forward firing through a hole and racing over from all of thirty five meters out. Bulmer striking the post with the conversion. 36-14
Straight away from the restart a midfield scrum was won and after a fifteen meter drive a penalty was given, Paul looking to tap and go at every opportunity kept feeding his forwards before Lowry hit a gap and dived over Bully great again hit to get the extras 43 - 14
Crockett then rang the changes pulling the bullish Boothman for Hopkins, Skipper Triff also earning a rest for a change.
Ten minutes remain Malt still giving Glossop a hard time but the last pass sometimes went astray. It wasn’t until the clock was red when Jacob Stephenson who put on a good strong show at outside centre picked up a loose ball midfield and with a stiff hand off went around three covering defenders to dot down in the corner Bulmer missing a difficult kick.
The game finishing 48 -14
In reflection a good second half on the back of a first half showered in personal discipline errors. A hard run in January now, next week the 1s head to Bridlington before the rearranged Goole game then Dronfield at home for Ladies day on the 27th. A timely reminder that this league is still wide open after Moortown rolled Selby.
Thanks to Paley’s of Malton for sponsoring the ball yesterday alongside all who joined us in support.
Team: Nick Salisbury, John Vasconcelos, Ben Boothman, Charlie Read, Will Dunn, Jamie Rounthwaite, Tom Lowry, Sam Triffitt ©, Paul Angus, James Bulmer, Javan Upton, Tom Foan (vc), Jacob Stephenson, Tom Stone, Blair Foster, Subs (all used) Pete Hopkins (FR) Jake Starbuck, Shane Poole.
Blair Foster
Sam Triffitt
Penalty try
John Vasconcelos
Shane Poole
Tom Lowry
Jacob Stephenson
James Bulmer 1 Pen, 4 Conversions
