YORKSHIRE One leaders Malton and Norton continued their winning habit with a 16-6 victory at Yarnbury.

But they needed a late try to maintain their two-point lead at the top of the table.

The hosts are desperate for league points to stave off the threat of relegation and it was always going to be a battle of defences on a heavy and extremely sticky surface.

Malton started well with an Ian Cooke penalty after five minutes but Yarnbury were fully committed and refused to yield.

Malton tried hard to get the game moving but some good defence from Yarnbury thwarted every attempt and drew level when fly-half Steve Galbraith slotted over a penalty when Malton were penalised in front of the posts. Cooke and Galbraith then exchanged kicks to make it 6-6 at the break.

Malton tried to inject more pace into the game in the second period with James McKay, Carl Muscroft and Liam Vaughan making some penetrative forward drives.

Chris Creber, Tim Chapman and Ryan Lonsdale tried their utmost to break them down further out. But, as in the first period, the home defence held firm.

In their only real threatening moment Yarnbury appeared to score a perfectly good try when a kick over the Malton defence was poorly handled allowing the right wing to get what appeared to be a touch down. However, the Cumbrian referee was so far behind play that he failed to get sight of the touch down and disallowed the score.

Fortune then fell Malton's way again when advantage was played when Yarnbury were caught offside close to the touchline. No advantage accrued and the referee awarded Malt a penalty in front of the posts which Cooke put over.

Malton then stepped up a gear as Yarnbury tired and mounted some good drives from the pack.

Creber sensibly used the touchlines to gain position as the screw was turned. The reward was a try from prop Vaughan, who fought his way over from close range to touch down and put his side into an impregnable position right at the end of the game.

With Cooke receiving treatment the conversion was left to Steve Piercy who judged the kick to perfection, scraping the bar as it went over.

It was a hard-earned victory which keeps Malton two points clear at the top.

Updated: 10:19 Monday, February 16, 2004