YORK RUFC will head into 2020 second-placed in North One East after a 46-20 win over Durham City.

The Clifton Park outfit sit behind table-toppers Driffield on points difference alone.

Ben Dyson-Dent and Will Fordy were the two changes to the hosts' starting 15, replacing Sam Elliott and Jonny Frank, respectively.

Paul Armstrong opened the scoring with a penalty for Durham.

Straight from the kick off, excellent play between York's Chris Fox and Shane Goulding ended with Fox scoring a try. Declan Cusack added the conversion for a 7-3 lead.

York were now playing with confidence and on 37 minutes, Liam Hessay joined the line from full-back and broke two tackles before off-loading to Declan Cusack to score. Cusack missed the difficult conversion.

But Durham showed no signs of backing off and just before half-time put together an excellent move with Ellis Hook scoring a five-pointer in the corner.

York started the second half strongly and Sam Forbes broke through to score with Cusack adding the conversion.

Dyson-Dent scored in the corner after 50 minutes following good work from Will Scholey to break through the Durham defence.

Durham scored from a quick tap-and-go after replacement Lewis Hannibal was yellow-carded. A sustained period of pressure paid off and they scored a try to reduce the deficit to four points.

But from the kick off, York restored some of their lead, Fox retaining possession and a flowing right-to-left passing move saw Rob Hodges go over in the corner.

Goulding then broke through the Durham defence and stepped past the full-back to score. Hessay added the conversion.

Fordy broke several tackles to add another in the devastating 10-minute spell, with Hessay adding the conversion before capping off the game with a 35-metre penalty.

York travel to third-placed Morley on January 4.

Malton & Norton head into the winter break after a 26-12 victory at Percy Park in North One East.

The win takes the Ryedale side up to seventh. They resume in 2020 with a home game against Moortown on January 4.

Matt Bowman got the opening score, converted by Paul Angus, on 12 minutes.

Malt dominated the loose ball and the scrum, and struck again through hooker Bailey Lamb for another Angus-converted try.

Park came back strongly over the next five minutes but the pressure was absorbed and James Bulmer’s strong line kicking relieved the situation.

After Bowman had taken a team yellow, Park scored a converted try to go into half-time seven points behind.

Malton took the restart and camped in the Park half but had to wait eight minutes before position was set up by the forwards for Rob Featherstone to rumble over and Angus convert.

On 21 minutes Malton were again close to the Park whitewash and opted for a scrum penalty which, with shove and grunt from the eight again a feature, was a formality for skipper Sam Triffitt to score a five-pointer.

Malt repelled Park's advances until the final minute when tiredness kicked in and Park's number 14 went over.

Pocklington completed their 2019 North One East programme in satisfying fashion with a 28-5 win at struggling Huddersfield YMCA.

Conditions seemed ideal for Pock and they had Huddersfield pinned back early. From the hosts' put-in on a defensive scrum, they were shunted over their own line and flanker Nathan Smith pounced for the opening score, Christian Pollock converting.

In the driving seat, Pock's Harry Jackson just lost control of the ball following a flowing counter-attack, while Marcus Britland had a try chalked off.

And Huddersfield made the most of the let-offs to score in the corner before half-time.

Huddersfield missed an early second-half penalty and they were punished when prop John-Paul Kelly burrowed over, Pollock's conversion stretching Pock's lead to nine points.

More of the same soon followed and hooker Jim Thornton scored before a penalty try gave Pock the bonus point.

Pock kick off next year with a home game against West Hartlepool.

Selby lost 15-7 at Beverley in Yorkshire One. The Swans start next year at home to Heath.

York RI maintained their six-point lead at the top of Yorkshire Four south east courtesy of a home walkover against Sheffield Oaks.

They kept in practice with a game against Malton & Norton 3rds, who enjoyed a 31-17 win at New Lane.

RI's first game of 2020 is at home to Stocksbridge on January 11.

Nestle Rowntree were unable to do their Minster City neighbours a favour as they went down 36-5 to second-placed Mosborough, prop Jack Gabbatiss getting Trees' only try.

Rowntree travel to York 3rds next week before returning to league action on January 4 at Stanley Rodillians. Trees are still in with an outside shout of making the cut for Yorkshire Four premier division.