Malton and Norton RUFC

TERRIFIC TRIFFITT TREBLE

With the temperature registering 15 degrees and a slight drizzle the stage was set for Malton to turn the heat up under a Bridlington outfit that contained a couple of players with the hint of a Driffield accent.
Malton fielded as strong a side as has been seen so far this season, welcoming prop Boothman back into the fold after he has spent several seasons playing at a higher level.
Bridlington kicked off towards the football end and the crowd enjoyed the sight of the aforementioned prop with his first touch dummying , sidestepping, and charging fully 20 metres to put Malton immediately on the attack. The first scrum of the game keenly anticipated by the crowd eventually on the fourth reset yielded a penalty to the home side. This was placed in the corner and the resulting catch and drive ended with the visitors shepherding Vasconcelos into touch.
The second scrum of the day was in the words of the song “same as the first “ with multiple resets.
On the third scrum in the 14th minute again after more resets a straight eight man shove saw no8 Triffitt falling on the ball over the whitewash.  7-0.

Bridlington now spent a few minutes in the Malton 20 metre area after a good kick down the line which Angus in the air flipped back into play, but with the touch judge nowhere in sight the referee awarded a Bridlington throw in. The visitors battered away at the line but stout tackling kept them out with Bell demonstrating a perfectly executed chop tackle at the correct height.
A break by Bulmer relieved the pressure and a long kick downfield was chased by the speedy Barker to set up position at the business end. A high tackle penalty conceded by the visitors was slotted through the sticks by Poole on 21 minutes.  10-0.
At the same time newcomer Upton was helped off the park with a leg injury. Five minutes later a scrum to Malton 6 metres out resulted in Angus being held up 1 metre short but Emms with the extra 50 kg in the locker picked up and made certain for another five points.  15-0.
Frustration was creeping into the Bridlington psyche especially in their dugout regarding the set scrums with the referee rightly turning a deaf ear to the pleas and moans from that direction.
With Bridlington again on the attack in the 35th minute a deliberate slap down by Malton was penalised with the perpetrator lucky to escape a yellow card. The visitors kicked to the corner and with the resulting possession pummelled the home line but a strong tackle into touch by Stephenson saved the day and moments later Poole cleared the lines on the stroke of halftime.

The visitors started the 2nd half losing their no7 to a leg injury and Malton now in the ascendancy attacked using their backs to good effect despite Bell with his short studs slipping ignominiously towards the turf with a 2 man overlap at the ready.
On 45 minutes the visiting eight still suffering and not coping with the power of the Malton pack paid the price to give Triffitt his 2nd dot down at the base.  20-0.
Bridlington still had ideas and a strong attack saw Fothergill’s attempted one on one tackle end up with him unceremoniously dumped on his backside. The visitors kept up the pressure for a short period but were repelled following an excellent jackal and turnover by Barker.
Malton now in total control again advanced to the visitor’s red zone and gave Vaughan and Emms a well-earned break in the dugout. From a scrum a Triffitt short burst and dummy gained sufficient momentum for the recycled ball to swiftly reach Bell who danced over keeping his feet to secure the try bonus point with Poole adding the extras in the 58th minute.  27-0.
The sight of the drooping Bridlington shoulders spurred Malton on to earn more points this time a smiling skipper going over the line to claim a thoroughly deserved hat-trick in the 70th minute.  34-0.
In the final minute salt was rubbed into the visitor’s wounds when Angus picked up a ball that had squirted out of the Bridlington set piece to casually stroll over and conclude a well-earned victory.  39-0.

This result takes Malton to 2nd place in the league after five games and following next week’s break a trip to Dronfield beckons. They lie in 4th place 1 point adrift from ourselves with the highest point’s differential coupled with the highest total points scored to date.

In our favour Malton have the least points scored against which can be interpreted with a nod to our defence.
The next home game will be when we entertain Old Brodleians on 21st October. Put it in the diary!

Malton:  Ben Boothman,  John Vasconcelos,  Liam Vaughan,  Sean Emms,  Charlie Read,  Thomas Barker,  Tom Lowry,  Sam Triffitt (c),  Paul Angus,  Shane Poole,  Javan Upton,  James Bulmer,  Will Bell,  Jacob Stephenson,  Blair Foster.

Subs: (all used),  Nick Salisbury,  Will Dunn,  Ali Fothergill.

Scorers:      Triffitt   3 tries
                     Emms   1 try
                     Bell        1 try
                     Angus    1 try
                     Poole      1 pen  3 cons.