WINGER Tom Gravell kicked a late penalty to get Yorkshire One leaders Malton and Norton RUFC out of jail in their home clash with Heath.

The Ryedale side maintained their surge towards promotion with an 18-17 victory over third-placed Heath, repeating their single-point success in Halifax earlier in the season.

Heath were quickly out of the blocks and they took the lead on four minutes with a try by former rugby league centre Martin Moana.

Full-back Mat Hallett converted.

Malton retaliated immediately from the restart, with full-back Ian Cooke placing a chip towards the corner and wing Josh Saunders picked up the bouncing ball to touch down. A Gravell penalty saw Malton edge 8-7 in front, but they suffered a blow when they lost scrum-half Dan Cattle to a serious knee injury. With Malton reshuffling, Heath flanker David Montgomerie crossed to give his side a four-point half-time lead.

After the interval, Heath number eight Ian Downsborough was given a free run to the line and the visitors led 17-8.

Ryan Lonsdale, on for Cattle, was yellow-carded and only a superb cover tackle from George Harrison kept Heath out. On his return Lonsdale broke free and left a wake of would-be tacklers trailing before sending Saunders in for his second try. With full time approaching, Heath were penalised for entering a scrum from the wrong place 40 metres out and Gravell’s kick sealed the win. York were edged out 29-21 against second-placed hosts Sheffield.

The visitors grabbed an early lead with a penalty from Karl Birch, but Sheffield hit back immediately with a forwards’ try wide out.

A missed tackle then cost York dearly as the home side cut through to score under the posts and the conversion made it 12-3 at the interval.

A second penalty from Birch reduced the arrears, but Sheffield again responded by powering over for a converted try.

Good handling from the York backs found space for Charlie Nicholson to cross near the corner, but forward pressure saw the ball mauled for two further Sheffield tries.

York finished strongly and were rewarded when scrum-half Arran Thompson broke clear to score under the posts and give Birch an easy conversion.

While the result was rarely in doubt, York played well in patches with prop Will Norris holding his own in the set scrums.

Pocklington took another big step towards Yorkshire Two promotion when they blew away Yarnbury in the first half at Feathers Field and went on to win 48-19.

Pock opened the scoring with a blindside try after seven minutes by flanker Scott Littlefair and never looked back. The pack dominated and the backs ran riot as they stormed to a 33-0 interval lead.

Wing Dan Pickard dived over from close range, and sweeping back moves brought tries for fly-half Henry Mitchell and centre Tim Nixon, while number eight Matt Davies got a pushover touchdown. Full-back Nick Bennett added four conversions.

Yarnbury scored two quick tries but a Bennett penalty and a try by Ben Rees steadied the Pock ship.

Yarnbury scored an 80-yard backs’ try, but Pocklington lock Ed Bean galloped over and Bennett converted.

York Railway Institute were agonisingly beaten 13-10 by second-placed Baildon in Yorkshire Three at New Lane.

Nestlé Rowntree suffered their 13th defeat of the Yorkshire Five season as they went down 56-3 at Wetherby.