LIVEWIRE winger Blake Spencer scored a hat-trick but it was not enough for Malton & Norton to get off the mark in North One East as they lost their home opener 34-20 to West Hartlepool.

It was a still a good effort from the Ryedale side given the numbers missing and the fact they lost first-team mainstays Ian Cooke and skipper Sam Triffit early in the second half as they eyed a comeback.

Spokesman Bill Laidler said: "It may have been a defeat but the much-depleted side can take a lot of comfort from the level of performance.

"Scrum-half Angus Whitney, making his league debut at 18, showed he can cope at this level.

"Liam Vaughan put in a herculean shift at prop and Vus Dyantjies showed some great skills at fly-half after taking over from Cooke.

"However, the team must improve their lineout and realise tackling high at this level is futile."

From the early stages, Malton, missing lineout thrower James Thornton and middle jumper James Rounthwaite, struggled to gain possession from that source.

And when they were penalised for pushing early at a scrum on their own 22-metre line, Hartlepool set up a drive to score close to the posts for a 7-0 lead.

Another penalty at a scrum made it 10-0.

Malt then pressed, with Pool having a man sin-binned for deliberately knocking on, but the visitors held on.

West Hartlepool were first to strike in the second half when Malton again lost possession at a lineout. When the ball was freed, Malton failed to tackle low and Pool wrestled their way to the line.

The hosts then produced some of their best rugby, and this time the pressure paid off via a Payi penalty.

However, it was also a costly period as fly-half Cooke departed with a suspected broken arm.

Malton's backs were temporarily in disarray and when a loose pass was intercepted, a missed tackle gave Pool another score.

Worse followed as workaholic flanker Triffitt exited with a groin injury.

Malton still fought back, the pack driving deep into the 22 and Spencer scampering in, Payi converting from the touchline.

West Hartlepool replied with a bonus-point try. But Malton again struck back.

A well-executed move in the threequarters involving Dyantjies, Payi and Spencer gave the latter chance to speed in for his second.

Then more good threequarter play produced Spencer's third.

Payi’s conversion attempt, from wide out, hit the bar but Malton were still within one score.

However, five minutes later Hartlepool sealed victory with a free-flowing try of their own.

Malton still eyed bonus points from one more try and they were only denied it by the referee.

Dyantjies broke and fed Spencer, who drew the full-back and handed on to the speedy Payi with only the line ahead, but pass was deemed forward.