MALTON & NORTON RUFC's injury crisis finally caught up with them as they were beaten 25-23 at Heath in Yorkshire One.

Their woes increased before kick-off when substitute three-quarter Mike McCourt suffered a knee injury but, despite this, they were still the width of a post from winning.

Heath put pressure on Malton from the off but it was ten minutes before they got through.

From loose play 20 metres out, the home number eight broke for the line and battled his way over for the opening try.

The conversion was missed but Heath maintained their assault. Malton failed to clear their lines and the home eight again attacked on the blind side from a set scrum ten metres out and strength took him over as Heath led 12-0.

Malton narrowed the gap when prop Rob Featherstone burrowed his way over after good work from Josh Heggie. Ian Cooke's conversion was good and, after Heath and Cooke traded penalties, Malton trailed 15-10 at the break.

Malton's pack began to show their teeth after the break with good drives led by hooker Jim Thornton and prop Ben Boothman. Cooke punished them with the boot, 12 minutes in, after a dangerously high tackle on Malton fly half Dylan Redman produced a penalty.

But Heath stuck back when, after a clearance kick was charged down, the home side were quickest to get the the touch down as the ball crossed the line.

Cooke calmly replied with a penalty but a similar Heath score made it 25-16.

Malton refused to give up and applied pressure in the pack close to the line. When a Heath forward dived into the ruck, he was shown a yellow card and the Ryedale side took advantage.

They ploughed forward and Heggie, showing great control at the base of the scrum, crossed to narrow the gap. Cooke's touchline conversion narrowed the gap to two points with ten minutes left.

With three minutes to go, were awarded a penalty in front of the posts 30 metres out but a quick tap penalty was taken when a kick at goal would almost certainly have secured victory.

They got another penalty, in the fourth minute of injury time, from a more difficult position but Cooke's strike cannoned into a post and fell to safety.

Pocklington gave a spirited display at Morley in North One East before going down 24-18.

Morley outflanked them for a try inside the opening two minutes but the visiting pack stormed back and a lineout catch and drive brought an equalising score for prop Chris Morton in the 27th minute.

Morley's backs then ran in two tries to pull away to a nine point interval lead. Pock's only reply was a penalty from Nathan Saltmer.

Pocklington struck again ten minutes into the second half when a series of strong runs down the left ended with lock Tom Peters sprinting clear from a ruck to dive over.

Morley quickly replied when their elusive full-back ran back a Pock clearance kick to create the fourth home try, but it was all Pocklington afterwards.

They turned over a home lineout and big passes sent wing Charlie Wilson flying over in the right corner.

But Morley held out.