With the pressures of league rugby put to one side, North East One outfit Malton & Norton RUFC opted to blood a handful of youngsters in a friendly at Scarborough.

The visitors also gave number of fringe players a full run-out to gauge the strength of the squad.

And though Malton & Norton were on the end of a 40-28 defeat, the fact so many of the squad featured provided a boost for the resumption of the league campaign.

The first quarter of the game saw play sway from end to end without either side being able to create a score as the howling gale took charge.

But Scarborough took advantage of some sloppy Malton play to run in the first score with a try in the corner.

The conversion, despite the gale, started a display of magnificent place kicking by both sides.

By half-time the hosts had swept into a 21-point lead as many of the Malton side toiled to get to grips with the quicker pace and physicality of first XV rugby.

Malt began the second period in much better fettle and Carl Muscroft, left, making his seasonal debut, crashed over enabling Teei Piawi to join the kicking spectacular.

Piawi then sent centre Ryan Lonsdale in under the posts, but from a tap penalty Scarborough notched their fourth try which was quickly followed by another.

But Malt countered. Scrum-half Dan Cattle harassed his opposite number into fumbling the ball at a scrum and hacked on for number eight John Dobson to pick up and get the touchdown.

After a Lonsdale effort was disallowed, play went to the other end and Scarborough got their final try.

But there was more excitement for the visitors. Livewire Josh Saunders got possession in his own half and with his pursuers hot on his heels he dived for the line and appeared to have scored a perfectly good try only for the referee, who was stranded on half way, to rule it out as he had not seen it grounded correctly.

From the five-metre scrum, the initial drive sucked in the defence and Cattle crossed for the final try.

For Malton, teenagers, Ali Coe, Gus Ramsay, Tom Francis and Tom Clarke enhanced their reputations, while Dobson and Lonsdale gained much needed game time following ltheir long spells out because of injury.

Malton & Norton return to league action next weekend with a trip to Sheffield.