Yorkshire Division One: Selby 0 Malton & Norton 20

SECOND-placed Malton & Norton had to make late changes due to injury and illness, with prop Rob Featherstone (pneumonia) missing his first game in two seasons and back-row forward Sam Harrison forced into action at centre.

On a bitterly cold afternoon, conditions were almost perfect underfoot, but Selby, who dropped into a relegation berth as Old Crossleyans picked up a losing bonus point at cellar dwellers West Park Leeds, were again competitive.

However, it was soon very clear that Malton's forwards were going to be too much of a handful in all of the phases, skipper Sam Triffit being driven ten metres for the first try following a line-out.

Zweli Sodladla, normally deadly with the boot, uncharacteristically missed the conversion, as he did with the three that followed.

However, there was no let-up from the pack, whose task was made a little easier on the quarter-hour when a Selby second row was harshly sin-binned for failing to release a tackled player.

At the next scrum, Malton pushed the hosts off their own ball, an initial break by flanker Ali Coe making good progress before rampaging No 8 Josh Heggie marked his comeback from injury with a try.

Selby were still trying to make their presence felt but found the Malton defence in a mean mood.

Malton did try to open the game out more, and one fine run involving wing Ian Cooke and full back Sodladla went from defence to just ten metres from the Selby line.

From the resultant line-out, the visitors were adjudged to have been held up over the line and awarded a five-metre scrum.

A massive heave meant that Selby were back-pedalling, and Heggie picked up at the base and fed Triffitt, who crossed for his second try.

Malton went into the break leading 15-0 but much more was expected from them in the second period.

Playing with the stiff breeze at their backs, Selby came into the second half with much more vigour and, although never threatening the Malton line, were causing some problems with what little possession they could win.

Malton lost Harrison at the break with a head injury, which necessitated Heggie moving into the back line, with Jamie Rounthwaite coming on at flanker and Coe going to No 8.

The power of the pack was still too much for the home side, however, and, after 70 minutes, Malton got their try bonus point.

Pushing Selby off their own ball at a scrum on halfway, Coe picked up and split the home defence apart with a great break, which took him to the 22-metre line before transferring to the supporting Sodladla, who scorched over for the fourth try of the game.

Try as they did, Selby could not break the Malton defence in which good things were seen from scrum half Paul Angus, among others, and Malton ran out comfortable winners.

They entertain Heath on Saturday and will be out to reverse the earlier fixture result when Malton narrowly lost a game they should have sewn up.

Malton: Z Sodladla, I Cooke, V Dyantjies, S Harrison (J Rounthwaite), H Coulson, N Daley, P Angus, E Gwilliam (N Salisbury), J Thornton, B Boothman, S Emms, J Lumley, A Coe, S Triffitt, J Heggie.