Yorkshire One - Malton and Norton 13 pts - Pontefract 15 pts. Malton and Norton may have surrendered top place to Pontefract after this game but the real winner was the game of rugby.

Both sides put on a show which will be hard to replicate. Top-of-the-table games often fail to live up to their billing, but, on this occasion, both sides served up a treat for the large crowd. The game was full of attacking play of the highest quality and excellent defence by both sides, played at a pace rarely seen outside top-class rugby.

The home side denied Pontefract any ball for the first 20 minutes as they set up camp in the visitors' half. The Pontefract defence held firm with some big tackles but, from a maul close to the left touchline, centre Ryan Lonsdale joined his pack and stole away along the blindside to cross for a well-worked try, which Ian Cooke converted.

The Malton pressure did not abate and they very soon increased the lead with a Cooke penalty when Pontefract were caught offside at a ruck. Malton number eight forward James McKay was having his best game of the season and was proving a handful with his driving runs. Another penalty from Cooke gave his side a 13-point lead. Pontefract were still very much in the game and always looked dangerous in attack.

With both sides defending heroically, it was mistakes which would lead to any scores. Just before the break, a Malton slip-up let in Ponte winger Simon Spears, who scooted over in the corner to make the half-time score 13-5.

If Malton had been in the ascendancy in the first half, Ponte had other ideas in the second. Another slight mistake by the home side was exploited by Ponte centre Tommy Archer, who crossed for his side's second try which was converted by fly-half Andy Dean to put his side within one point of Malton.

Play swept from end to end with Malton regularly putting together several phases of good play to worry the visitors and Ponte replying in like fashion. Malton were unfortunate to be caught offside with 15 minutes remaining and Dean slotted home the penalty to give his side a slender lead for the first time. Malton tried desperately to regain the lead but Ponte's defence held out to the final whistle.

There were some tremendous performances on both sides, with Liam Vaughan, McKay, Chris Creber, Andy Mitchell and David Cooke outstanding for Malt. But this was a team effort and no criticism can be aimed at the side despite the defeat. On the evidence of this game, both Malton and Pontefract will be fighting for honours in April.

Coach Richard John said: "We were superb for the first 20 minutes but we could have done with another score. We played as well as we could and this will be a learning curve for the players.

"We need to work on our kicking game and make sure we choose the right options at the right time. But the players did everything that was asked of them."

John singled out James McKay for special praise, along with Tony Reynolds in the second row. "The back row were outstanding, as they have been all season," added John.

Malton are at home to Wakefield Cougars in the Yorkshire Shield this Saturday.

Updated: 11:40 Wednesday, November 12, 2003