Malton & Norton 10 Sandal 17
Sandal continued their winning ways with a hard fought victory in a match where they had almost total domination of both possession and territory and would have won by a larger score but for the superbly committed defence of the home side. That is not to say that the Milnthorpe Green men did not contribute to their own inability on this occasion to cross the whitewash as they too often held on with men better placed and then attempted to forced the final pass which invariably was turned over or went to ground. Sandal opened the game very brightly putting together phase after phase of play moving the ball from one side of the field to the other but it was Malton who scored first when poor tackling ten metres out allowed the home full back to release winger Lonsdale who crossed in the corner to give his side an early five point lead. The rest of the half saw Sandal create numerous chances but the resolute home defence did not waver and all the Milnthorpe Green men had to show for their efforts were two penalties from full back Chris Reakes as they entered the half time break with a single point lead.
The second half started in the pattern of the first with Sandal handling the ball crisply and they finally extended the lead when the forwards, who were superb all afternoon, moved the ball to within yards of the home line allowing scrum half Max Whittingham to dive over. Malton, though, were not finished and when winger Lonsdale intercepted a wayward Sandal pass on half way with a clear run to the line to narrow the lead to one point it was game on. Sandal proceeded to dominate the final quarter with fly half Tom Smith kicking two penalties but never being more than one score ahead they were not able to relax and it was with a sense of relief that they greeted the final whistle.
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