Yorkshire Division One: Malton & Norton 27 Bridlington 15

THIS hard-fought derby pitted second against third, and some of the tackling was the hardest seen at The Gannock for a while.

However, it was played in a good spirit, and experienced referee Neil Gaskell ensured that both sides ended with a full compliment in what was a great advert for the division.

Bridlington spent the first quarter in Malton's half, only poor finishing and strong defence preventing them from getting the opening score.

After over-elaboration resulted in lost possession, the hosts scored with their first real attack on the half-hour.

A series of forward drives took them into the Brid 22, and prop Ben Boothman was on hand to pick and drive, with the rest of the pack supplying the push to get him over the line for the first try, Zweli Sodladla converting.

However, the hosts were then penalised for holding on, with Brid landing the kick for a 7-3 interval score.

Malton turned on the style on the resumption, getting the ball to full back Sodladla, who made a terrific break from the kick-off to set up a ruck 20 metres out.

The forwards then mounted a couple of drives to suck in the defence before releasing wing Ian Cooke, who crossed, Sodladla converting for 14-3.

Malton stretched the lead five minutes later with a Sodladla penalty, when Brid were penalised at a ruck, and in the 50th minute, Sam Harrison broke from close to halfway and, using a combination of speed, strength and footwork, sliced through the defence to get within five yards of the line.

Fellow centre Vus Dyantjies secured the ball and put fly half Nick Daley over in the corner to make it 22-3.

Bridlington then came back to life, capitalising on a long period of pressure with a 70th-minute try, but Malton's response was a 40-metre try for Harrison.

In the fourth minute of injury time, the visitors recorded their second score with a converted try, but they now trail Malton by 17 points with four games left, meaning the latter are almost certain to take the sole play-off place.

Malton: Z Sodladla; I Cooke, V Dyantjies, S Harrison, B Woodhouse; N Daley, P Angus; E Gwilliam, J Thornton, B Boothman, J Lumley, J Rounthwaite, T Lowry, S Triffitt, A Coe. Replacements (all used): R Featherstone, S Emms, C Ramsay.