WITH one eye on next week's crucial promotion game at Beverley, Malton and Norton's challenge for the Yorkshire Shield came to an abrupt end as they lost 25-8 against West Leeds.

West are the only only side to have completed a league double over Malton this season, and they comfrotably wrapped up a hat-trick of wins after weathering the early storm.

Malton handed a debut to Tony Reynolds in the front row and a seasonal debut to Tim Casey in the second row. Phil Ryan also made a welcome if rare appearance in the pack.

During the opening quarter, Malton looked to be on their way to certain victory with Reynolds and Ryan to the fore in the forwards and young Ryan Lonsdale making some incisive runs from centre.

Only a poor last touch or desperate home tackling kept them out on at least three occasions and on their first excursion to the Malton 22 West Leeds showed the Gannock side how to finish when veteran fly-half Dave Breakwell dummied beautifully before diving over.

He soon followed this up with a penalty.

Malton were still very much in the game at this stage and a good three-quarter movement gave Tim Chapman the opportunity to slice through the defence for Malton's try. Ian Cooke followed this up with a penalty to bring Malt within two points at the break

After a first half in which Malton dominated but failed to take advantage, the second period was a complete opposite.

Breakwell continually pinned the visitors back with some long raking touch kicks and, with the line-out not operating as sweetly as normal, Malton found ball possession very hard to obtain.

Realising that the backs were a danger, West Leeds kept the ball close to the pack and gradually wore down the Malton eight resulting in two tries from maul situations.

The visitors did almost narrow the gap when a chip ahead from Chris Creber was taken by Chapman in mid-air. When a score seemed certain the ball was dislodged from his grasp and the opportunity was lost.

As the pace of the game began to tell on one or two of those drafted in to the Malton side so West Leeds took control and the chance of a semi-final place disappeared.

Malton's attention will now be focussed on Saturday's last league game of the season encounter at Beverley.

In order to keep pole position in the race for second place behind Keighley, Malton must win and in the process score as many points as possible to stave off the challenge of West Park Bramhope, who travel to Halifax to play Heath on the same day.

Both sides are level on match points but Malton hold a 25-point advantage in the for and against columns, so the stage is set for a big game and skipper Creber will have his men fired up for the occasion.

Rail rally to steam past Wetherby

YORK RI finally ground out a 34-25 victory over Wetherby in a friendly fixture, but it took the New Lane club until mid-way through the second half before they took charge.

The visitors raced into a 10-0 lead before a penalty by Armstrong reduced the arrears, while tries by Humphries and Reed gave RI a 17-10 half-time advantage.

However, two converted tries by Wetherby early in the second half edged them back in front.

The visitors pack had caused problems for RI all afternoon, but as they began to tire the New Lane side managed to find another gear and scored three tries in a excellent 15-minute spell of running rugby.

However, Wetherby were not finished and crossed the RI line near the end, but was not enough to worry the home team.

Updated: 12:07 Monday, April 07, 2003