YORK RUFC have gone top of North One East following a 22-10 victory at strugglers West Hartlepool.

Early touchdowns from Will Fordy and Rob Hodges saw the sides go into the break level at 10-10, with York pulling away after the restart thanks to tries from Sam Elliot and Shane Goulding.

The Clifton Park side also have some thanks to give to near-neighbours Pocklington, who knocked former leaders Scarborough off the summit.

Fordy scored within a minute of kick off. Fox gathered the restart, Robinson and Goulding applied a testing one-two and released to the backs for Fordy to score an unconverted try in the corner.

The second try arrived after 10 minutes. The back line received the ball off the top of an attacking line-out and created space for winger Hodges. The conversion was short.

Fly-half Stu Waites kicked a penalty for Wests, who fought their way back into the contest, and drew level with a converted try from flanker Liam Bailey.

York restored their lead early in the second-half. Cusack kicked into space over the top of the defence and West Hartlepool were able to kick clear, but didn’t find touch, giving Goulding 20 metres to pick up pace and run at a flat Hartlepool defensive line. He released Elliot, who found a gap and went through it. The conversion was added.

Chris Fox picked up a yellow card but York held off the hosts, who created chances.

When possession was turned over, Cusack cleared long upfield and - after Wests lost a player to the sin-bin - the decisive moment came when York pushed Hartlepool off their own scrum feed. From an ensuing penalty, Goulding got over from close range.

York’s travel to Kendal on December 7.

Malton & Norton staged a second-half comeback to salvage two points from their 29-22 defeat at Cleckheaton in North One East.

The Gannock outfit started well, though a promising breakout by Jack Hobbs was spoilt by a pass going astray.

But mounting Cleck pressure brought its reward and, on 23 minutes, a glaring offside in midfield gave Cleckheaton a penalty 10 metres out on the right. From the scrum, the Cleckheaton number 11 ran in for an unconverted try.

Inside the subsequent 12 minutes, both Cleck wingers ran in for five-pointers and just before half-time, the hosts’ number 13 dotted down near the posts.

Malton opened the second half with a good drive to the Cleckheaton 20-metre zone with Rob Featherstone, Matt Bowman and skipper Sam Triffitt to the fore. James Bulmer dummied his man and fed the galloping Tom Lowry, who opened Malton’s account on 43 minutes with an unconverted try.

On 51 minutes, Cleckheaton added to their lead with a seven-pointer.

Bulmer added to Malt’s tally, ghosting through a gap before converting his own try and, with 10 minutes remaining, the hard-working Lowry went over for his second unconverted try.

Good pressure from Malt saw Ali Fothergill claim the bonus-point try on 78 minutes.

Malton host Scarborough on December 7.

Pocklington wrapped up a 21-12 win at table-toppers Scarborough.

Scarborough took a 7-0 lead against the much-changed Pock as Tom Ratcliffe converted scrum-half Jordi Wakeham’s try.

Christian Pollock pulled three points back with a Pock penalty before half-time.

Pock had the slope and wind in the second period and, after a brief Scarborough flurry, they started to turn the screw. Britland burrowed in for Pollock to convert after sustained forward pressure.

More Pock pressure resulted in two well-struck Pollock penalties in the 66th and 72nd minutes.

With five minutes left, a Scarborough replacement went over wide on the right, but Pocklington dug deep, won back the restart and Britland dived in at the corner for his second touchdown.

Pock host Percy Park on December 7.

Selby are fourth in Yorkshire One following a 10-5 win at Pontefract.

Yorkshire Four south east leaders York RI beat second-placed Mosborough 26-12 at New Lane.

The visitors went ahead with a converted try after 15 minutes but a Baptiste Briu-converted Darren Lonsdale try levelled things 10 minutes on.

RI added another before the break, driving a five-metre scrum over the line for Briu to convert.

Mosborough notched a five-pointer after the break but tries from Tongan Rich Tafa and Frazer Land - with the former converted - completed the scoring.

RI visit Stanley Rodillians on December 7.

A makeshift Nestle Rowntree side lost 19-12 at Hessle.

The hosts went ahead early before Dave Harder pulled back two penalties for Trees.

Hessle, using their pace out wide, scored an unconverted try before the break.

Harder added two penalties either side of Hessle notching another seven-pointer.

Trees host Stanley Rodillians in the Yorkshire Vase first round on Saturday.