IN-FORM Malton & Norton RUFC are hitting the road in a quest for a top five finish in North One East.

The Ryedale club will see out March with a run of three away games against teams in the bottom five of the North One East table.

The Ryedale side travel to tenth-placed Morpeth tomorrow before heading for second bottom Gateshead next weekend and basement side Team Northumbria on Saturday, March 31.

They head into the hat-trick of trips in sixth place, level on points with fifth-placed Sheffield and five behind Percy Park, in fourth.

Club spokesman Bill Laidler said: “Morpeth will be the hardest of the three games. They are a pretty good side at home and it will be tough, but the other two are winnable.

“A place in the top four or five is there for the taking if everything goes well for us.

“Our away record has not been great over the course of the season, but we have done well recently.”

Malton’s prime objective on winning last season’s Yorkshire One title was survival and Laidler added: “Last weekend’s win over Middlesbrough made absolutely mathematically certain that we can’t go down. In your first season, you always want to make sure you stay there and we’ve more than done that.”

The Gannock outfit head to Morpeth with an unchanged side, with youngster Ali Heard again given the kicking duties.

Laidler is delighted with the way the homegrown teenager has risen to the challenge since the departure of points machine Teei Piawi.

“Ali has come through our colts and is a very good kicker,” he said. “His form has softened the blow of losing Piawi.”

Selby are at Ripon tomorrow on the back of a run of six wins in eight games which has put them on the brink of a top five place in Yorkshire Two.

The Swans’ threequarter line is reshuffled to accommodate the return of centre Alex Webster.

Ben Lunt drops to the bench, Ollie Saunders switches wings and Alex Arthur moves out wide from his midfield berth.

In the pack, captain Paul Randell returns as hooker, with promising teenager Josh Greenfield switched to the bench, while Tom Bell is in at tight-head prop and Karim Brown is added to the back row.

Leaders Pocklington are without a game in Yorkshire One, giving them a chance to regroup ahead of their four-game push for the title.

Next weekend, Pock travel to Dinnington ahead of closing fixtures at home to Bridlington and then away to Knottingley and York.

The club’s Panthers team, currently in an East Yorkshire Premier Merit Table play-off final place, are at Beverley tomorrow.

The Pilgrims host Hornsea at Feathers Field (3pm).

The RBS Six Nations clash between England and Ireland, will follow on television in the clubhouse, kick off 5pm.

There is no game for York in Yorkshire One, or Nestlé Rowntree in Yorkshire Five.

However, Rowntrees will travel to Yorkshire Three side York RI for a testimonial match for Howard Reed, who is still playing at the age of 50.

The game will kick off at New Lane at 1.30pm, followed by refreshments and the England v Ireland game in the clubhouse.