Yorkshire One: Malton and Norton 22 pts, Old Crossleyans 9 pts. MALTON and Norton gave their fans a welcome Christmas present as they reached the dizzy heights of top spot in Yorkshire One with this fine victory over their visitors from Halifax.

The atrocious conditions are alien to the sort of rugby Malton aspire to play, but Chris Creber and his merry band certainly showed they are not troubled by a bit of rain and cold. Indeed, some of the rugby displayed in this game would have been difficult to emulate in perfect conditions.

The home side posted their intentions after ten minutes when James McKay took the ball on from a set scrummage 30 metres from the visitors' line and made good ground before handing on to Jon Newsome. He fed Ian Cooke who, with the line beckoning, needed no second invitation to add to his increasing points total with the opening try, which he converted himself.

Crossleyans were also trying to play good rugby and put Malton under considerable pressure for long periods before getting their first score via the boot of fly-half James Grayson.

Unfortunately for both players and spectators alike, the game was constantly interrupted by the sound of the referee's whistle.

Although technically correct in most of his decisions, he failed to take any account of the conditions which resulted in a stop-start affair when better application of the advantage law would have been more appropriate.

In a rare break-out into Crossleyans' territory, Malton capitalised on a mistake when David Webster seized a loose ball to set the threequarters moving and again put Cooke over for a try, which he again converted.

Denied any good possession, Malton were again pressurised and conceded a second penalty before the break, despite some very good defence in keeping out a fired-up Crossleyans side.

During the interval, Malton changed into a dry strip and looked and played like a different side. They now monopolised possession as their greater fitness took over and could quite easily have trebled their score with a little luck.

Firstly, using a set move in mid-field, fullback Jason 'Dallas' Simpson just failed to hold the ball as he steamed into a gap created by Creber and Webster with only fresh air between himself and the line.

Secondly, centre Will Barber broke from his own half and just failed to get the touch-down after chipping over the defence.

And thirdly, when Liam Cowton and Barber followed up a clever Creber kick to the corner for Cowton to touch down, only to have the score ruled out for an obstruction offence.

They did, however, increase the lead with a Cooke penalty before Crossleyans added to their total with another Grayson effort.

Malton were not finished yet, and another good sweeping move again put Cooke in the clear. However, he was stopped just short of the line but the following up McKay was on hand to get the touch-down to end the scoring and put the result beyond doubt.

News of top-of-the-table Pontefract's defeat filtered through and the jubilation of the Malton side was matched by that of their supporters.

Malton and Norton's next league game, on Saturday, January 3, is away to Pontefract. It is set to be a thriller, with both sides playing fast, open rugby in their joint quest to win the title.

Updated: 09:38 Monday, December 22, 2003