Malton & Norton trip up but only after running leaders close (From Gazette & Herald)

Malton & Norton trip up but only after running leaders Beverley close

3:43pm Wednesday 16th January 2013 in Sport

STAR centre Ryan Lonsdale was red-carded as Malton & Norton were edged out 20-13 by runaway North One East leaders Beverley.

Lonsdale was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle in the first half at The Gannock on Saturday and a second yellow card for a high tackle after the break resulted in dismissal.

With him went the Ryedale’s side chances of an upset, although they could already have sewn up a superb victory but for a host of spurned chances.

Malton spokesman Bill Laidler said: “It was great game of rugby, with two fully committed sides giving no quarter whatsoever.

“It would be difficult and unfair to pick out an individual man of the match for Malton as all 18 who took part gave their all for the cause.”

Malton pressure had Beverley at sixes and sevens in the opening minutes, but somehow the visitors managed to keep their line intact.

Against the run of play, the table-toppers took the lead after 12 minutes with a penalty from fly-half Phil Dubouley when Malton were penalised for a high tackle.

Seven minutes later Beverley were penalised for a similar offence, but Ian Cooke’s effort sailed just wide.

Malton were still dictating the game and, when Henry Newitt appeared to have intercepted a Beverley pass, the field opened up before him. However, for some reason he was penalised and the chance was lost.

Moments later, Malton suffered a hammer blow when strong-running Lonsdale was sin-binned, forcing the hosts into desperate defence for the remainder of the half.

Just when they appeared to have weathered the storm, they cracked and Beverley used the extra man to put wing Tamasai Tanumi over in the corner.

Still Malton refused to yield and pressure in the set scrum brought a penalty, which Cooke converted to make it 8-3 at half-time.

Malt opened the second half brightly, reducing the arrears with another Cooke penalty, and, with Chris Creber pulling the strings at fly-half, they claimed a try on 46 minutes.

Fielding a poor Beverley clearance, Tom Newitt fed Creber and his long range pass to the opposite side of the pitch gave Lonsdale the space to storm over from 30 metres out.

Cooke’s conversion gave Malton a 13-8 lead, but on 50 minutes Lonsdale received a second yellow card, and subsequent red, for a high tackle.

The home defence remained solid despite the loss of one of Malt’s main men and they held out for 20 minutes.

The Beverley threequarters finally found the extra room to manoeuvre wing Goran Jelencic crossed for his side’s second try.

Duboulay added the conversion and Beverley boasted a two-point lead.

With the game deep into injury time the extra man again told when Beverley skipper and centre Junior Tupai crossed for the final score.

Malton: I Cooke, T Newitt, P Fifita (A Heard), R Lonsdale, H Newitt, C Creber, T Boyle, P Dobson, N Salisbury, A Turnbull (R Featherstone), D Foster, S Emms, G Ramsay, S Triffitt, R Webster (H Barnes).

Malt travel to Morley this Saturday (2.15pm).