YORK RUFC have gone second in North One East after a 24-13 win over fellow high-fliers Moortown.

The West Yorkshire outfit arrived at Clifton Park second and left in fifth, four points behind York - who are now just two points off leaders Scarborough.

Declan Cusack, returning from injury, came into the York side at fly half, in place of the unavailable Sam Forbes. Liam Hessay moved to full back.

Moortown kicked off and controlled the early exchanges, testing the York defence without threatening the try line.

York took the lead after five minutes. From midway in the York half, Cusack passed to Hessay, joining the line from full back, and he showed impressive pace to break through the Moortown defence, chipped the ball over the Moortown cover, collect and touch down. Cusack added a difficult conversion from out wide.

The visitors controlled the next 15 minutes, with play moored in midfield the York defence kept them at bay, but the pressure exerted by Moortown eventually resulted in two penalties, both converted by Eddie Crossland.

From a scrum just inside the York half, Cusack delivered a pinpoint cross-field kick to find Sam Elliot in space on the right wing. Elliot beat his opposite number before kicking over the full-back and scoring in the corner. Cusack missed the difficult conversion.

Now very much on top, York kept the pressure on the Moortown line. From a five-metre scrum, Moortown conceded three consecutive penalties before their prop received a yellow card. From the fourth, York spread the ball wide through the backs for Rob Hodges scored in the corner. The conversion was missed.

After the restart, a determined Moortown again struggled to break through the York defence.

York lost Cusack to injury on 55 minutes, replaced by Will Fordy.

After 65 minutes, York had pushed Moortown back into their own half and from a Town scrum York won the ball against the head. The ball was moved quickly through the backs with Toby Atkin scoring under the posts. Hessay added the conversion, taking York into a decisive 24-6 lead.

After 73 minutes, Crossland finished off a good move by the Moortown backs and added the conversion.

On Saturday, York travel to West Hartlepool.

Malton & Norton bounced back from last week’s defeat to Kendal with a 17-7 home victory over Bradford & Bingley in North One East.

The Gannock outfit put in a controlled performance and showed determination to overcome a Bees side two places and three points above them.

On 17 minutes, a missed tackle down Malton’s left wing led to the opening score by the Bees through their number 14, with the extra points going in off a post.

From the restart Malton drove straight down to the Bees 20-metre line and earned a penalty which rebounded off a post, was caught by a Malton player, and driven to the line. However, in the ensuing melee accidentally running into their own player gave the Bees a relieving penalty kick.

On 23 minutes a break down the right wing and delivery of the ball to the mercurial Ben Tenge saw him dot down for a try converted by Paul Angus.

With the confident home side dominating the set pieces at the start of the second half, Hobbs broke free from loose play and his deft offload set up a series of passes to Ali Fothergill to score on 56 minutes.

Just six minutes later, Chris Joe scorched 20 metres to notch his debut try for the club.

After two successive home games, Malton travel to Cleckheaton on Saturday.

Pocklington remain 12th in North One East after a 27-17 win over sixth-placed Cleck.

This Saturday sees Pock make the difficult journey to table-toppers Scarborough, who lost 15-9 at Morley at the weekend - just their third defeat of the season.

Fourth-placed in Yorkshire One, Selby beat Leodiensian 38-29. The Swans travel to strugglers Pontefract on Saturday.

Yorkshire Four south/east leaders York RI claimed the derby spoils against Nestle Rowntree thanks to a late try which gave them a 17-13 win.

Trees started slowly and conceded an early penalty which Frazer Land converted. He added another penalty after eight minutes.

As Trees came more into the game, RI conceded a penalty, which Ali O’Gara converted on 20 minutes but, again, Land returned the favour with another set piece kick.

Trees went into the break 10-9 up after number eight Zak Hardy crashed over from a maul. Ali O’Gara converted.

Fifteen minutes into the second half, Land again punished a Trees infringement to score a penalty on 55 minutes before Ali O’Gara responded in kind.

Lewis Starbuck scored the all-important RI try towards the death.