North One East:

Bradford & Bingley 22

Malton & Norton 15

IF BRADFORD & Bingley are going to gain promotion from the sixth tier this season, they are going to have to do it without their South African duo.

Centre and goal-kicker Schalk Oosthuizen played his last game for the Bees in 2016-17 a fortnight and a half ago after getting a job in his homeland, while Gerhard Nortier, his replacement as goal-kicker, headed back at the weekend.

"I am returning home for personal reasons," explained the Bees fly half.

However, in what was a typically close and bruising encounter against familiar foes Malton & Norton, Nortier made the difference with two pin-point accurate crossfield kicks at the beginning and end of a contest that was played under a slate-grey sky.

The first made a try for right winger Jack Malthouse in just the second minute, while the second, which was finished off by replacement winger Ryan Wilson, clinched victory three minutes into stoppage time.

Bradford & Bingley's director of rugby Martin Whitcombe said of Nortier: "He was probably the stand-out player in Yorkshire Division One last season and he has been the stand-out player in North One East this season.

"They are always close games against Malton & Norton and we always just seem to edge it.

"I cannot understand why they are not in the top half of the table (instead of fighting relegation) but I hope they don't go down as they are a good team and a proper rugby club."

Nortier, who seemed to be hurting towards the latter stages of a physical contest, said: "We should have won more comfortably as we blew several opportunities when we got near their five-metre line, but the lads are good enough to get promotion without Schalk and myself.

"We aren't a two-man team – it takes 15 players."

The victory left the Bees in fifth place and they are now ten points behind a play-off berth instead of nine but they have an easier run-in and of the teams above them, Penrith (third) lost 13-6 at home to Pocklington (first) and Alnwick (fourth) could only draw 6-6 at Dinnington.

The Bees made the perfect start when they turned over ball in the second minute, Nortier's high kick being lost by the visitors for home prop Michael Crotch to make good ground down the left before Nortier kicked the ball towards the river at the Dowley Gap end for Malthouse to gather and cross.

Visiting full back Xolela Payi sliced a penalty attempt five minutes later, and they found themselves 14-0 behind in the 13th minute, a great drive from the Bees pack being followed by centre Ben Greaves picking his way through the defence to score, Nortier converting.

However, the twin towns bossed the rest of the half, Greaves pulling off a great tackle on Payi to halt a dangerous attack before the full back landed a 28th-minute penalty.

Hooker James Thornton then bagged Malton & Norton's first try on the half-hour before they got the try of the match two minutes later.

Payi was backed up by flanker and skipper Sam Triffitt and fly half Vus Dyantjes in a neat sequence of crisp passes for replacement George Harrison to score, centre Tom Foan's conversion – Payi had hamstring trouble – giving the visitors a 15-14 interval lead.

I don't know whether any teacups were thrown or stray boots kicked in the changing rooms at half-time, but the Bees had more focus in the second half, and the home pack put in a great drive early doors.

Wilson, who had come on at half-time, was tackled into touch in front of the clubhouse verandah in the 48th minute, and the hosts lost flanker Max Mountain with a cut cheek that required five stitches after a brawl two minutes later.

A Nortier penalty put Bradford & Bingley back in front in the 53rd minute and, on a day when both sides tackled strongly, they were put on the front foot by another well-weighted Nortier kick in the 76th minute, Wilson flying up to nail Payi.

Nothing came from the subsequent five-metre scrum, however, but Malton & Norton could rarely get into an attacking position in the second period, and the game visitors were finished off by the Nortier-Wilson combination in injury time.