SOLID WIN IN TRICKY CONDITIONS

James Knock
Malton celebrated Ali Fothergill's one hundredth game with a satisfactory win after the long journey to the highest ground in the country.
Consett kicked off with the stiff wind behind them and for the opening 15 minutes kept Malton pegged in their own half due to fast line speed and despite plenty of ball Malton’s failure to make the gain line.

On 7 minutes Malton received notice of the referee’s mindset and closed ears when penalised in front of the posts for Consett to take 3 points. Malton were guilty of trying to rush things looking for the intercept rather than the tackle which was a factor in keeping them on the back foot, when a patient approach was required to settle them into the game.

However on 15 minutes after mastering the tricky wind Malton achieved their second visit to the Consett red zone and making no mistake from set piece Angus broke blind, fed Triffitt who brushed off of a couple of defenders, reconnected with Angus who cleverly ducking under flailing arms opened Malton’s account with a converted try.

Eight minutes later following failure to make touch from a penalty award the ball was returned with interest a full 60 metres down the touch line by the Consett winger to bounce into touch metres from Malton’s line. Consett took possession following the line out and two phases later their fly half sold an outrageous dummy to waltz over for a 7 pointer.
This setback provided the impetus for Malton to up their game and following good work by the pack after several phases on the Consett line, Foan emerged claiming the try wide out, duly converted into the wind by Poole in the 29th minute.

Malton at last fully into their stride took advantage of a Consett knock on recovered by Head who making good yardage passed on to Bulmer who shimmied, dummied and in his own inimitable style sprinted to the line and 7 points on the 35th minute.

On the stroke of half-time an error by Consett gave Poole an easy trot to the line and he in turn converted his try to give Malton a 4 try bonus point and with an 18 point lead together with the strong wind to come behind them every prospect of adding four more.

Malton opened the second half with a copybook try on the 45th minute following plentiful  supply of possession  from the forwards moving the ball to Tweddell who sprinted 20 metres  down his wing and in under the posts for 7.

Five minutes later Poole was adjudged to have deliberately knocked on an intercept attempt and given a yellow card. Consett took immediate advantage and a 10 man maul took them over the line wide out for 5 points only.

Play then entered a stalemate for the next 15 minutes with the drop in temperature a factor and tempers starting to fray, both sides questioning an immovable referee which should be only the captain’s job. The one area where Malton were dominant was at set piece with prop Lumley well in control of his opposite number but getting little reward for his efforts.

On 68 minutes Malton effectively put the game to bed when Triffitt asked his reliable goal kicker and man of the match Poole to slot a goal 30 metres out.

Consett still had other ideas and searching for 2 tries to gain a point out of the game pressured Malton and again a 10 man maul saw them over the whitewash for a try in the final minute, too little too late.

The last 2 consecutive wins set the squad up for the visit of Morpeth and every chance of 3 wins on the bounce.

I look forward to the prospect of a large crowd to welcome our friends from Morpeth and to get behind our boys who have taken your club to 6th place in the league and fully deserve your support. See you there!

Malton:  James Bulmer,  Jacob Tweddell ,  Will Bell,  Tom Foan,  Ali Fothergill,  Shane Poole,  Paul Angus,  John Lumley,  Bailey Lamb,  Ted Hughes,  Will Dunn,  Charlie Read,  Jacob Head,  Tom Head,  Sam Triffitt,(c).

Subs:  Tom Barker, James Wood, (both used).
             John Richards,  (not used).

Scorers:  Angus 1 try.
                 Foan   1 try.
                 Bulmer  1 try.
                 Poole  1 try,  5 cons,  1 pen.
                 Tweddle  1 try.

Malton & Norton 11-17 BP Chemicals

Malton efforts not rewarded in the final third.

A cold but sunny day at the Gannock as the Super 2 entertained a solid looking BP team and we were looking to stretch our winning run to 4 games.  Playing against the Sun and wind in the first half, skipper Matt Clarke running the operation from 10 had cross code Jake Starbuck at 12 and Matty Bowman at 13 with plenty of option to hit those holes.  The first 20 minutes were all Malton winning the battle for possession and territory but failure to convert points would eventually cost Malton.

Carbon copy of the opening sequences Malt made good middle ground but there was acres of space outside but the final pass often going astray.  Quick ruck ball was in short supply but when it happened BP were regularly offside resulting Rhys Sandow slotting a couple of pens after 20 and 25 minutes 6-0.

BP then surged forward with Malton blitz defence was not working, a ropey tackle allowed them convert their own penalty 6-3.

Directly from the restart BP’s place kicker was given too much time to find a good 40m returning touch kick well over the halfway, Malton secured their ball but did not play any exit patterns and coughed up the ball on the floor resulting in a good switch of play from BP who went through the hands and secured a score out wide despite the grounding looking awfully suspicious. But the Ref gave it without having a TMO to refer to and following a good conversion the score was extended to 6-10.

Malt bounced back and took control of the final 10 minutes of the half a couple of held ups and a close effort out on the right-side, Malt shifted though the hands and a quick thinking kick from Sandow sent Nick Embleton over for a great score. Conversion missed 11-10

The rest of the half was scoreless some excellent performances in the loose Will Hicks, Tom Smith and Joe Gibbons scrum dominance led by Welch but a big thing in rugby when you’re on top make it count.

HALF TIME 11-10

The second half became a scrappy encounter, Malton tucking it up their jumpers without looking to play to the space. Possession was very even BP took the first 20 mins with their style of one hit up runners with our failure to get off our line coupled with some questionable penalties given against both team.  Just as Malton were starting to control our defensive things in the BP half, a silly not releasing penalty gave BP the chance to set something up, a big hit up followed by a shift to space got on our outside.  A run, kick, lucky bounce and great swan dive resulted in the final score of the game 11-17.

Malton however did have plenty of time to go and get their tries they missed out on in the first half but every time they got close some good defence or a miss read, allowed BP to clear their lines.

Time almost gone and both teams looked knackered but it was Malton in the driving seat moving the ball left and right until an overlap was created and big drive to the line by winger Josh Weatherill who reached out and put the ball down with Malton celebrating and a big conversion to come.  Only for the Ref to ask the BP touch judge if he felt anything was wrong with the try???..... His reply “he felt the final pass was forward”.  So the ref took his words as golden and blew for time.

The Super2s looked at the first half and in their minds knew the 4 points were spurred there after dominating so much………

FULL TIME 11-17

Withernsea 22 - Malton & Norton 3s 29

Well, done to all 19 players who set off on the long trip to Withernsea near Norway and came away with an excellent win, Malton loaned the home team prop Tom Wright as one of their front rows were late arriving.

The home side attempted to out muscle their way with their heavy pack, but Malton were more than a match for them and defended excellently throughout the game. Malton opened the scoring with a cracking individual try from the impressive Caleb Barrett which was converted by kicking second row Leon Cook.

Malton were starting to get a foothold in the game and with some great carries in the forwards from Adam Leckenby, James Machin, Phil North and company. Ben Hickes had his best game of the season with some great defensive work and strong carries and was rewarded with his try which was converted.

Withernsea were not willing to give up and with some strong running from the forwards scored an unconverted try. Captain Collins at outhalf continued to test the opposition and after another good carry from the excellent Josh Watson was rewarded with another try from the elusive Barrett. Young fullback Finn Tumman is growing into the position nicely and showed some excellent fielding of the high ball and his strong running resulted in another try which was converted again by Cook.

Malton were starting to dominate with some great carries by Cook and probing runs from scrum half Ordidge who even stepped in as hooker to cover for some blood injuries to Hickes. Just before half time Caleb Barrett was on the score sheet again to give Malton what seemed like a comfortable lead of 24 – 5 just before half time. Injury to prop Nick Wilks just on half time meant Malton were able to give the hard-working Wright a run out for his own team.

Withernsea now playing with the slope in the second half made very good use of the wind and strong sun behind them to put Malton under extreme pressure but Maltons defence was excellent with some great lineout steels from Watson, North and Cook and strong tackling throughout the backs including O Shea, Cowton and Barrett.

Malton spent most of the second half in their own 22 and Withernsea managed to get within a score however Barrett stepped up with his third try (second hatch trick in two weeks) with another excellent break to give the visitors some breathing space. Malton then lost the impressive Cook with an ankle injury but everybody stepped up including subs Smith, Marshall and Bakes to make tackle after tackle. The final play of the game saw the visitors camped on the Malton line needing a converted try to draw the match however the visitors were not willing to give in and turned the ball over and secured an excellent victory in a tough competitive fixture. Well, done to everyone who travelled and put in an excellent display and this makes it three wins on the bounce for the 3s, they are on the road again next week for a visit to Bridlington so lets keep the winning streak going.