MALTON & Norton can look ahead tomorrow’s big top-of-the-table Yorkshire One clash with leaders Bradford & Bingley with great confidence, according to spokesman Bill Laidler.

Malton's tough 25-8 win on a windswept coast at Scarborough last week kept the Ryedale side clear in second in the table and in touch with the table-toppers, five points behind.

And it highlighted the good form of the pack, which could again prove key tomorrow as their promotion rivals come to The Gannock.

Said Laidler: “Once again it was teamwork which was to the fore (against Scarborough), with the pack outstanding.

“The three-quarters, although almost blown out of the game, did their bit with some good defence, and young scrum-half Paul Angus, with one or two sniping runs, showed his potential.

“Scarborough were well below-par but Malton held the aces and they can look forward to Saturday’s home game against league leaders Bradford & Bingley with plenty of confidence.”

York, who host Malton next week, will look to re-find winning form as they go to Old Crossleyans, one of four teams below them in the table.

Selby, second-bottom, face arguably an even more important game at the wrong end of the standings as they host fourth-bottom Yarnbury needing points to get away from the drop zone.

Meanwhile, Pocklington break new ground in North One East when they travel to South Shields to struggling Westoe.

Pock and Westoe have never met at any level, with the Tynesiders having operated in the National Leagues in recent years prior to relegation last season.

They have gone straight to the foot of the table this year too amid an ongoing slump and are in danger of going down again.

However, both of their league wins have come at their Wood Terrace ground, while sixth-placed Pocklington have only won once on their travels thus far.

In Yorkshire Four, York RI go to Rotherham Clifton, with whom they are level on points in fifth following last week's reverse to Wensleydale.