MALTON & Norton RUFC needed one more win to secure safety in North One East – and got it in some style as they beat leaders Alnwick 29-23 after a super show at The Gannock.

Alnwick had scored 143 points in their previous two games and travelled south looking for more.

But Malt produced their best first-half performance of the season to build a 12-3 lead, and, while the visitors hit back to go ahead, Malt bagged two tries in the last 10 minutes to win it.

M&N spokesman Bill Laidler said: “There were many fine performances from the Malton side but it was truly a team performance which clinched the day.”

A good opening 20 minutes was played almost entirely in the visitors’ half as Malton’s pack drove relentlessly forward.

The backs were also heavily involved with some good handling and strong running and it was a pity a a score did not materialise.

However, it did all come good after 24 minutes when Malton again drove forward through the pack before swiftly getting the ball out to left-wing Tom Clark, who crossed in the corner.

In almost their first visit to the Malton half, Alnwick reduced the arrears to 5-3 with a penalty for not rolling away from a tackle.

But deep in first-half injury time, Malton struck again. Again a series of drives from the pack gained yards. When the ball went to the backs, fly-half Luke Raduva fed centre Tom Foan, who burst through to score, Zweli Sodladla’s conversion making it 12-3.

Alnwick, as expected, came out for the second half with renewed vigour and, four minutes in, a high tackle allowed them to cut the gap to 12-6.

Sodladla soon kicked a three-pointer at the other end after Alnwick were offside at a ruck but, on 50 minutes, the visitors again showed their teeth.

From a scrum on the left, slick handling quickly got the ball over to the right for a try in the corner.

The conversion narrowly missed but Alnwick turned the screw and, after Sodladla was harshly sin-binned for not releasing a tackled player in the Malton 22, they soon took the lead.

They opted for a scrum and were rewarded with a pushover try and an 18-15 advantage.

The home support became even more anxious when Alnwick increased the lead with another try from more quick handling and strong running.

However, this score reawakened Malton and they again took a stranglehold on proceedings.

On 70 minutes, good handling again had the visitors chasing shadows, and Sodladla burst through a gap and fed wing Ali Fothergill who crossed in the corner for his customary try.

The conversion cut the deficit to 23-22 and Malt pushed for a winner.

A series of penalties kept Alnwick pressed into the corner and good lineout work from Will Hughes and Jamie Rounthwaite set up drive after drive towards the whitewash.

When Alnwick collapsed one such drive, they had a prop sin-binned. From the resultant lineout, Malton again set up a series of pick-and-goes and finally succeeded in getting the ball over the line for a well-deserved try by Liam Vaughan.

Sodladla’s conversion made it 29-23 and Malton played out the final few minutes by keeping possession in the pack.