Malton & Norton off the mark with 45-28 win against Doncaster Phoenix

Both sides were looking to rise from the ashes after a disappointing opening three games of the season.

But it was Malton who took an early lead, building on the field position gained from Alex Packer’s run down the wing to send skipper Sam Triffitt across with five minutes on the clock.

The hosts, demonstrating the capabilities that have seldom been showed this season, soon extended their lead, Paul Angus darting through a gap to add another seven points to the scoreboard.

Phoenix then began to find their feet, bringing themselves into the match after winning a throw-in 25 metres out from the line.

Two phases later, some slack tackling allowed their midfielder to halve the deficit.

Malton though didn’t take long to restore a two-score lead, Jack Jones showing his class to slice through the Phoenix midfield and set up Will Dunn to touch down.

But the home side’s ill discipline caught up with them again, and after having received a quick warning from the referee, their defence was caught napping by a quick tap and Doncaster’s prop crashed over.

With Malton’s penalty count still on an upward curve another quickly taken tap from 30 metres out saw Phoenix’s right winger round his man and give a scoring pass to the supporting number nine, who motored across next to the posts to level the scores at 21 apiece.

Paul Angus was also among Malton's scorers with this effort behind the posts. (Image: Ann Taylor/Pitchside Photographer) The Ryedale side though led at the break, Sean Emms marking his 200th appearance for the club with a stroll over after Ali Fothergill’s bursting run forward.

With injuries to their three listed props at differing intervals Malton had to shuffle the pack - moving Triffitt to the front three with Fothergill slotting in at number eight and Jack Fletcher coming of the bench. 

Later in the half a patched up Pete Hopkins came back on as Salisbury limped off, soon followed by Jacob Stephenson with a head injury.

As Malton were still re-organising their resources, Phoenix swept downfield and put their winger over in the corner, only to be penalised for a very marginal forward pass decision. 

But the hosts gathered themselves, and on the hour, were denied by some staunch try-line defence.

After see-saw action across the pitch, they did though finally find a breakthrough, Jones carving his way through to link up with Packer, who sprinted to the line to score.

Malton then put the game to bed in the 75th minute, debutant Will Bell, taking a smart 35 metre interception, ignited the afterburners, and the resulting seven points took the scoreline to 42-21 in the hosts’ favour.

Phoenix, to their credit, did not let their heads drop as they looked for two tries and two league points.

In the 77th minute, they collected one of them with a converted try wide out.

But with the final whistle imminent, Poole kicked a penalty in front of the uprights to take the score to 45-28 and propel the hosts up to ninth.

After next weekend’s enforced break, Malton return to action at Pontefract.