THE 17-match winning run of Yorkshire One leaders Malton & Norton RUFC came to an end with an agonising 13-12 defeat at Keighley.

The Ryedale side were unable to hang on for win number 18 as their West Yorkshire hosts preserved their unbeaten home record.

Malton were first into their stride and quickly made progress from their own half with a determined run from the threequarters.

They set up camp in the Keighley 22-metre area and the pressure told when centre Rob Armitage crossed for a try after five minutes.

Midway through the half, Keighley narrowed the gap with a penalty after the Malton backs were caught offside.

Some accurate Keighley kicking kept Malton pinned back for long periods and on the half hour the defensive line was breached as Keighley took advantage of an overlap to score in the left corner.

In the closing minutes of the first half, Malton lost winger Henry Newitt to injury. He was replaced by Ryan Lonsdale as Keighley went into the break with an 8-5 lead.

Malton took the lead 12 minutes into the second half when clean lineout ball was whipped out to Lonsdale, who burst through the home ranks and handed on to wing Josh Saunders for a try.

Teei Piawi converted to take his seasonal tally to 201 points.

Malton then piled on the pressure, but Keighley refused to lie down.

After a period of pressure on the Malton line, the visitors were reduced to 14 men when flanker George Harrison was sin-binned for a technical offence.

Going into the final five minutes Keighley set up a drive close to the left touchline which sucked in the Malton defence.

A break on the blind side opened up the gap for a try in the corner and Keighley had a one point lead with only injury time remaining.

Malton rallied from the restart but time eventually ran out.

Malton’s top performers were scrum-half Dan Cattle, prop Paul Dobson, Lonsdale and forward Duncan Foster.

York were without a fixture, while Selby collected a 31-24 victory at Dinnington.

In Yorkshire Three, York Railway Institute went down 23-21 at Bramley Phoenix.

Nestlé Rowntree lost 57-10 at home to Stocksbridge in Yorkshire Five.