OVER AMBITIOUS MALTON CONTAINED BY EFFICIENT VISITORS.
Malton set off at a cracking pace receiving the kick off and retaining the ball set sail down the left side of the pitch only to spoil a simple chance with extra man Bell in the line following a wild pass in midfield. With the pack in control Malton took play to Kendal's 20 metre zone to put Tom Foan through for the opening score on 6 minutes converted by Paul Angus.
Kendal's back division now demonstrated their capabilities and their no10 sold a simple dummy to put pressure on Malton's defences and set up position for their no3 to trundle over for a 7 pointer on 13 minutes.
Three minutes later a speculative long wild pass from Malton's no10 was easily picked off by the Kendal no11 to trot over for 7 points.
With the power of Ben Tenge and Tom Foan in midfield allied to the speed of full back Will Bell and the bullocking runs of Ali Fothergill Malton had only to keep it simple, put the ball through the hands to benefit, saving the long and or miss passes for use when 14 points or more to the good.
On 25 minutes there followed a brilliant turn over by skipper Sam Triffitt, a powerful break out from Tenge, a 20metre dash by Fothergill who in turn drew his man and fed finisher Bell to score a 7 pointer demonstrating to the large crowd the efficaciousness of keeping it simple.
Ten minutes later following driving play from all eight of Malton's pack and several phases on the Kendal line and the normally dependable Rob Featherstone stopped inches short Matt Bowman was adjudged to have used a double movement to ground the ball to deny Malton what could have been a pivotal score.
Half time, 14 points apiece was a score that did not reflect the control Malton had on the the opening 40 minutes.
Kendal came out of the blocks after the break and grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck.
Malton guilty of giving up ball too easily and weak tackling in the backs watched as the Kendal no11 scored his second try on 43 minutes stepping delicately through the defence untouched the extra points denied by an upright.
Malton scored on 52 minutes again following strong work from Tenge, feeding Bell who in turn provided Foan a simple run in down the touch line to score for 5 points only.
The next 30 minutes saw Kendal increase their grip on the game denying Malton both possession and territory apart from the occasional foray by the Malton pack using their pick up and drive which is one of their better weapons.
On 60 minutes a misfield in the Malton 20 metre zone put them under pressure and it wasn't long before Kendal completed the scoring for the final points of the game to win by a single try and leave Malton with a meagre single losing bonus point when the first half had promised so much more.
We are now over a third of the way through the fixture list and the comparisons with previous years tables to be found on rfunorth.com make worrying reading.
This team barring injuries is capable of producing better rugby and the decision making and implementation during the game is the collective responsibility of players 1 to 15. The skipper and coaches can only do so much!
Malton: Will Bell, Nathan Pratt, Ben Tenge, Tom Foan, Ali Fothergill, James Bulmer, Paul Angus, Rob Featherstone, Bailey Lamb, Peter Hopkins, Will Dunn, Charlie Read, Tom Lowry, Matt Bowman, Sam Triffitt (c).
Subs: John Lumley (not used), Andy Mitchell, Lawrence Blades,(both used)
ROWNTREES 7 - 17 MALTON & NORTON 2s
MATCH REPORT FOR THIS MIGHT COME....
