YORK RUFC made it two derby wins in a row with a 35-17 comeback victory at home to Malton & Norton.

Following the previous week’s victory over Pocklington, the Clifton Park outfit have now leapfrogged Malt into eighth in North One East.

The visitors went into the break 17-7 up thanks to a Matt Bowman try and two touchdowns from Will Bell, but York fought back with Sam Forbes’ two tries and one from Rob Hodges, allied to Shane Goulding’s first-half effort.

Ross White captained the York team from hooker with Dan Coe and Will Scholey starting either side of him in the scrum. Cade Robinson joined Chris Fox in the second row while Luke Stockton moved to flanker. Declan Cusack was deployed at fly-half, with Jon Frank and Forbes the centres.

York began the game in Malton & Norton’s territory and early scrums saw a penalty to the hosts, while the York pressure made Malt’s own feeds less stable.

Despite continued phase-play, York did not score and the visitors broke up field. Fly-half James Bulmer had space to carry the ball against a scrambling York defence and he was stopped five metres from the try line but number eight Bowman was able to carry the rest of the way and score. James Bulmer missed the conversion.

York returned to the Malton & Norton half and used the ball there. Despite errors by York, the visitors could not reverse the field position and York continued to attack with structure.

Taking a quick tap penalty, scrum-half Toby Atkin got within a metre of the line before Goulding used his strength and body position to force his way over. Cusack kicked the conversion.

Though the hosts retained possession in Malt territory and came close to extending their lead, the Gannock side restored their lead when scrum-half Chris Inman took a quick tap penalty and released outside centre Bell to score under the posts. Bulmer converted.

And Malt extended their advantage when winger Ali Fothergill broke through the York defence in centre-field. After an offload, he got the ball back and made it to within 10 metres of the try line, where Bell was on hand to get his second try as the ball was recycled. The conversion came off the post and out.

There was enough time before the break for York to get the ball over the try line but it was held up as the whistle went.

With advantageous field position to begin the second half, Toby Atkin took a quick tap penalty and scored. Cusack added the conversion.

For York, who continued to attack and create chances, had Forbes find some space and he broke a tackle before scoring. Cusack kicked the goal to put York back in from.

Cusack returned York to the Malton & Norton 22 with an accurate kick from hand before the visitors’ Bowman was sin-binned.

York’s Liam Hessay - on at full-back - then set Forbes through for his second try and a bonus point for York, with Cusack again making the conversion.

On a set-piece ball, York secured the game. Off the top of an attacking line-out, Cusack passed to Hessay, who then released Hodges in stride and in space on the wing to score. Cusack made it five successful kicks from five attempts.

York play second-placed Bradford & Bingley away next Saturday while Malton & Norton host Durham City.