BATTLING Selby RUFC were unlucky to come away from The Gannock a beaten side as they went down 31-24 to Yorkshire One leaders Malton & Norton.

Malton’s makeshift threequarter line – with flanker Sam Triffitt and wing Rob Armitage at centre with Teei Piawi at fly-half – performed well, but received little back up from their team-mates.

Malton began well, pressurising the visitors’ line from the off and when a Selby forward was rather harshly shown a yellow card in the fourth minute for not retreating at a penalty, Malton took advantage. From the resultant scrum, the pack inched forward and number eight Mark Bradshaw picked up and drove over for the opening try.

Piawi converted with the first of several excellent point-scoring kicks. The Swans were showing plenty of fight and were always on the alert to burst through Malton’s midfield – midway through the half they got their reward. Malton conceded two penalties in quick succession and the visitors used the touchline to good effect.

From a lineout in the Malton 22 metre area they set up a maul and drove forward before releasing scrum-half Matt O’Connor for a converted try.

Five minutes later, weak tackling from Malton and good ball handling skills in the Selby ranks opened up the Malt defence for a converted try under the posts. Malton prop Adam Turnbull was then sent to the sin-bin for killing the ball at a ruck. From the penalty, Selby added to their score and went into the break with a 17-7 lead.

After the break, the Malton pack took the game to Selby with some good drives and when the ball was eventually released, Piawi fed Armitage for the hosts’ second try and then converted. Two minutes later, from a set scrum 30 metres out, Selby gained possession and O’Connor took advantage of acres of space to ghost through. The conversion left Malton ten points behind.

Malton skipper Ian Cooke, playing his first game since injury ruled him out in early September, showed his class with a break from a set scrum to tee up wing Josh Saunders. Piawi’s conversion put Malt back within touching distance. With six minutes on the clock, a Piawi penalty for offside brought the scores level. Again Malton got back into scoring territory and, when they were held short of the line, a Selby player was sent to the sin-bin. A series of set scrums saw Malton inch closer to the line until flanker Andy Mitchell fed substitute Dan Cattle and he scooted over. Piawi added the extras.

Injury-hit York went down 32-7 at Keighley.

The visitors’ defensive effort was made more difficult by injuries to debutant Matt Green, Jim Rossington and Simon Humphries.

Keighley used their forward strength to score two tries in each half and York’s sole reply was a magnificent long-range try from flying wingman Charlie Nicholson, whose pace saw him scorch past three defenders. Jon Dawes added the conversion.

Second-placed Pocklington beat third-placed Barnsley 34-17 in Yorkshire Two.

Barnsley took an early penalty lead before Nick Bennett levelled for Pock, who went ahead on 15 minutes with a try by centre Jack Holbrough, converted by Bennett.

Barnsley’s second penalty closed the gap but Bennett banged over a penalty with the last kick of the first half and fly-half Joe Holbrough pushed off three tacklers for a try in the first minute of the second.

Barnsley quicky replied with a try and two penalties, but Pocklington pulled away with three Bennett penalties and a converted try by Ben Rees.

York RI were 14-11 winners at home to Hessle in Yorkshire Three.

A first half littered with yellow cards – two to each side – saw the visitors kick two penalties to one from Thornton to lead 6-3 at half-time.

Thornton kicked two penalties to put RI in front and, from a quickly-taken tap penalty, Weingarth dived over wide out.

RI held out until the last minute when Hessle crossed in the corner.

Nestlé Rowntree lost 29-18 at home to Pontefract in Yorkshire Five.