INJURY-HIT Malton & Norton gave a battling performance at Alnwick but lost 26-12 to remain third bottom of North One East.

The Ryedale side, with only one win in their last five games, were always big underdogs against a team lying third and the odds got longer due to enforced changes in personnel and positions. They duly lacked finesse and accuracy but made a game of it with their faultless spirit.

Malton had the hosts on the back foot for the opening ten minutes with good handling in the backs and a series of drives from the pack.

However, on their first visit to the Malton half, Alnwick booted a penalty for offside and thereafter kept up the pressure.

Malt's defence was solid but gave way midway through the half after a penalty to the corner.

A catch and drive was expected from the lineout but the ball was swiftly given to the backs who caught the defence napping, resulting in a converted try under the posts.

Two more penalties made it 16-0 at the interval.

Malton, whose forwards had been more than a match for Alnwick in the set-pieces and lineouts, started the second half on the offensive and, through the pack, should have closed the gap.

Awarded a penalty close to the Alnwick line they opted for a scrum, with the hosts being penalised three times for scrummage offences and the set-piece reset on each occasion. Then, just as Malton expected a penalty try as the whistle blew again, the referee instead penalised them.

The visitors kept up the pressure and again caused Alnwick to transgress on their own line. Again Malton opted for the scrum and this time, as the set-piece again collapsed as it inched foeward, the penalty try was given. Tom Foan converted.

Fresh hope in the Malton ranks was dashed four minutes later, however, when Alnwick's right winger won the footrace to a speculative kick to the corner, the try making it 21-7.

The hosts bagged a third try late on as two missed tackles in centre field allowed the break, but Malton heads stayed high and deep into injury time they got a deserved score.

A drive to the corner was well controlled and the hosts had no answer to the power of Malt's pack, Aussie scrum-half Luke Raduva the man to touch down in the corner.