Rugby Union: Malton & Norton RUFC conquer Scarborough - and the wind

A howling gale, coming almost diagonally across the pitch, meant that any flowing rugby was going to be at a premium and that the forwards would hold sway - a department where Malton held the upper hand.

It was Scarborough, though, who opened the scoring in the fourth minute when a Malton 22 drop out was charged down and quickly whipped out to the backs.

A decisive run through the Malton defence produced a try in the corner for the hosts. The conversion was missed.

The visitors looked to keep the ball close and use their powerful driving techniques and off-loading to make ground and Scarborough's very big, but largely immobile pack, could not cope with the ferocity of the Malton eight.

When they were penalised for offside, Zweli Sodladla put the ball through the uprights to narrow the gap.

In the set-piece, Malton had almost total dominance but several good positions were squandered and Scarborough increased their lead with a penalty - leading 8-3 at the break.

With the wind at their tails, Malton came out with all guns blazing for the second period. There was no let up in the intensity of their drives and, when Sodladla kicked a penalty to the corner, a well-worked line out move saw number eight Josh Heggie take a short throw from James Thornton and cross in the corner to level the scores.

Midway through the half, the floodgates opened.

Malton won a line-out 20 metres out and a good controlled drive by the pack saw John Lumley taken over for the try.

On the half hour, the Scarborough front row were so decimated that all scrums were uncontested and, from a set-piece 15 metres out, Heggie picked up, side-stepped and dummied his way over for Malton's third try.

Sodladla converted and the bonus point score then came in the final minute.

Sodladla again nudged a penalty into the corner, Sean Emms took a clean catch and another powerful drive gave substitute forward Andy Mitchell the glory of scoring that crucial bonus point try.