Skipton 0

Malton and Norton 15

This was a game played in torrential rain and high winds leaving the field a mud bath and the sides indistinguishable by the end of the game.

That both teams tried to play, and by and large succeeded, decent open rugby was a credit to all.

Malton and Norton got just the start they wanted when, in the third minute, Skipton were caught offside in the centre and Ian Cook kicked a simple penalty.

Skipton were playing with the elements at their back and it was perhaps a little surprising that they didn't use that advantage to peg the visitors back deep into their half.

On 16 minutes a poor Skipton ruck saw the ball appear out at the side, but the visitors were more alert and having attacked down the left wing when the ball was switched right, James McKay scored an unconverted try in the corner.

Malton's cause was not helped when on 20 minutes their hooker Stewart Piercy was sinbinned for a cynical off the ball incident, but five minutes later Skipton lost Ian Scrivin injured to be replaced by Jack Morgan.

By now referee Crispin Davies was exasperating all involved by his refusal to allow the game to flow.

The only other notable act of the half was Cook missing a further penalty chance on the half hour mark as the half was complete with Malton and Norton no doubt happy to be leading 8-0.

With Malton having advantage of the wind and rain in the second half, they soon illustrated how to use that benefit. After only six minutes of the half, and having penned Skipton back into their 22, they drove a maul forward from a line out, and prop Richard Ellis plunged over. Cook converted the try and Skipton seemed to be in trouble at 15-0 down with a long half in front of them.

This however seemed to galvanise the Reds into action. The forwards got their teeth into the opposition and Mark Davison and Peter Jenkinson were frequently prominent with some good driving play.

Frank Walker managed to get himself sinbinned for the second successive week, but even this didn't stop Skipton enjoying a period of superiority.

Mr Davies continued to referee a different game to the one being enjoyed by players and spectators alike, and Skipton were unlucky to see long spells of play in the visitors' 22 go unrewarded. Mike Beech, playing in the unaccustomed role of scrum half, had an excellent game, but of course all Malton had to do was apply boot to ball when they could to relieve the pressure.

That Skipton only conceded one score in the second half was much to their credit, and perhaps showed what could have happened if the right tactics had been employed in the first half.

The visitors just about deserved their victory for their more incisive back play.