MALTON & Norton RUFC notched a crucial late victory over lowly West Leeds to keep daylight between themselves and the North One East drop zone.

Malt won 24-11 at The Gannock thanks to two late tries in a dramatic finale in which the referee also needed treatment after an accidental collision.

The uplifting finish sets the Ryedale side up for next week's derby at York (2.15pm), who got back to winning ways at Percy Park. M&N had ended York's winning start to the season with a thrilling 31-30 home victory in September.

Malton opened proceedings briskly against a West Leeds side suffering several absences.

The hosts moved the ball more fluently in the backs than in recent weeks and quickly earned a numerical advantage as Leeds had a man sin-binned.

The opening score followed on 13 minutes.

After winning a scrum, they moved the ball to Callum Stark on the right wing and he ran hard at the opposition and delivered a perfect pass to fellow winger Rob Armitage, who had tracked the ball from the left and galloped over.

Three minutes later, the best move of the game came from the base of the scrum 50 metres out.

Captain Sam Triffitt broke blind and passed to Matt Bowman, who found winger Armitage. He in turn delivered the perfect pass to charging number eight Will Hughes, who made it 10-0 to the loud delight of the home crowd.

The game settled into a humdrum affair with West Leeds gaining parity. They recycled possession camped in the Malton half but knocked on three times at key moments.

Eventually pressure told and, with Malton adjudged to have dropped the set scrum, Leeds kicked the resultant penalty to make it 10-3 six minutes before half-time.

The second period opened with Leeds controlling matters for large periods.

Malton's backs tackled bravely to keep them out but the pressure was too great and Leeds took another three points on 50 minutes before a good try from their winger on 70 minutes gave them an 11-10 lead.

Staring at defeat seemed to have an effect on Malton. With skipper Sam Triffitt busy at number nine instead of his usual back-row slot, the duo of Matt Bowman and John Vasconcelos rallied the pack who drove up to the visitors' line.

A scrum three minutes from time was well driven only for the Leeds front three to go down. To huge cheers from the crowd, the referee signalled a seven-point penalty try, converted by Shane Poole.

More drama followed with Bowman sin-binned on 79 minutes for a high tackle.

But Malton's seven-man pack led by Vasconcelos powered to the Leeds line and in the melee under the sticks the referee was knocked to the ground, taking several minutes with the visiting physio in attendance to recover.

Bravely resuming, he awarded a scrum to Malton given they had been in possession. The seven men drove Leeds backwards to give Hughes his second try and Malton a bonus point.