SELBY RUFC are seeking a new head coach for the 2016/17 season after Richard Nicholson announced he is stepping down from the role at the end of this campaign.

A statement on the club's website reads: "After giving up over five years of his life to the club Richard has decided to let someone else take the role while he carries on promoting and developing rugby within the Selby area."

Selby paid tribute to the work Nicholson has done to improve and bring on a young side – and develop all the teams at the club.

"Huge thanks must go to Richard for all his efforts giving up many hours in working with the senior coaching team to help develop the players," the club added.

"Clearly the greatest moment of the club's history was under his charge when we went to Twickenham and won the Intermediate Cup. Thank you Richard for all your hard work and effort."

A job description and application process for a new coach is also on the Selby website.

Which division the new coach starts in will depend on the final three matches of the season.

Selby improved their survival hopes with a 12-8 win at bottom club West Park Leeds, their first away win of the season. It leaves them third-bottom, five points ahead of Old Crossleyans. Looking up, Selby are only two points behind Yarnbury.

They have a tough task ahead of them tomorrow when third-placed Bridlington are the visitors to Sandhill Lane.

Malton & Norton have a dual focus in their three remaining matches – to win and then to score as many points as possible in the hope that they can host the second-placed promotion play-off.

The Malts pinned down second spot in Yorkshire One with a 26-31 victory at Yarnbury last Saturday and they can no longer be caught by third-placed Bridlington.

As their season has developed Malton have been realistic enough to realise that barring a major collapse by runaway leaders Bradford and Bingley – who are nine points clear with three games to play – they will finish in second place.

That will necessitate a play-off against Middlesbrough, their counterparts in the Durham/Northumberland League.

Malton club spokesman Bill Laidler said: "We have had some good meetings with Middlesbrough in the past and we have the recent experience of being in the play-offs last year at Morpeth."

The venue for the one-off, winner-takes-all, showpiece game is determined by a comparison of the two teams' aggregate points scored.

"As the Durham/Northumberland league is not so strong as Yorkshire One and it has been more difficult to score points in Yorkshire One, this has usually meant their team has hosted the play-off," explained Laidler.

Malton begin their points quest with a home derby match against Scarborough tomorrow, seeking to continue a ten-match winning spree. The home side will be expecting a big crowd for the match with good support for the visitors.

York, who are seventh, travel to sixth-placed Old Brodleians tomorrow, keen to close the four-point gap between the sides.

York coach Lee Denham is also eager to develop the squad and their players in competitive situations, ready for an all-out assault when the league starts again next September.