Malton and Norton RUFC

DOWN TO EARTH WITH A BUMP!

James Knock

Malton arrived at Cleckheaton Sports Club with the sleet and hail showers prevelant at this time of the year rolling in off the Penines and kicked off to a side packed with experience and physically larger in 10 of the 15 positions.
The opening score on 3 minutes came with Hughes bursting from a line out, making 30 metres, laying the ball back for Lockwood whose inch perfect pass saw Angus the starting winger dive over the host’s whitewash for 5 points only.
On resumption the ball was spilled and Cleckheaton biding their time moved the ball from side to side and worked their way to the corner and 2 line out penalties later drove over for a try converted from the touch line on 9 minutes.
Two minutes later the hosts spotting the gap created whilst Fothergill was down awaiting the physio took advantage and led by their forceful no8 moved to the line and put their lock forward in for a 7 pointer.
Barker replaced Fothergill for the next 8 minutes and Malton adjusted their resources swapping Angus to his more familiar role at 9 with Weatherill moving to the wing.
Malton closed in on the Cleckheaton red zone but spurning three points on offer knocked on  at the base of the scrum and lost position. Basic errors were now proving costly but Malton still well in the game watched in disbelief as Lockwood hacked a loose ball up field and with Stephenson in close support raced to the host’s line where the latter was impeded off the ball with the referee fully 50 metres behind theatrically clutching his hamstring. Three minutes later after treatment he awarded Cleckheaton a goal line drop out as opposed to a possible penalty try.

Minutes later with the visitors on the attack a high one handed attempt to intercept a Malton pass made contact with the ball but went unnoticed and unpunished with the hosts off the hook again.
Now with half-time beckoning Malton at last in full view of the referee won a scrum 8 metres out and Angus from his familiar position darted over for a 7 pointer to put Malton firmly in the game at 12-14.
The second half opened with play going from end to end but in the fiftieth minute a high ball was spilt on the visitor’s 22 metre line, and Cleckheaton needed no second invitation.

They now demonstrated why they are currently third in the league and only five points adrift. Looking like a team that play together week in week out with a minimum of changes and possibly few injury problems, they showed their ability to pass and run the ball, intuitively backing themselves always with a man in support, and switching direction at will they ran in 26 unanswered points between the 53rd and 75th minute to leave Malton somewhat bemused and or shell shocked.

To their credit Malton  kept their heads up and took the opportunity to blood Tom Milton-Wright at prop Lumley giving way, with Wood having come off the bench slightly earlier.
Playing to the final whistle and never giving up Malton put Hughes over for a consolation 7 points to end a thought provoking penultimate game of this campaign.
Next week Pock Sevens and the following week the final league game of the season with Moortown the visitors.

Malton:  Ali Fothergill,  Paul Angus,  Ed Lockwood,  Jacob Stephenson,  Will Bell,  James Bulmer,  Josh Weatherill,  Nick Salisbury,  Bailey Lamb,  John Lumley,  Will Dunn,  Sean Emms,  Will Hughes,  Tom Lowry,  Sam Triffitt (c).

Subs:  Tom Milton-Wright, Tom Barker,  James Wood,  ( all used).

Scorers:  Angus   2 tries
                 Hughes    1 try
                 Bulmer    2 cons.