MALTON & Norton are aiming to inflict a third home defeat in four matches on North One East rivals Old Crossleyans on Saturday (2.15pm).

Relegation-threatened Malt are aiming to follow in the footsteps of West Hartlepool and Pocklington by heaping more home woe on their Halifax hosts.

The Ryedale side started 2014 with wins over Wheatley Hills and West Hartlepool, but they are again desperate for points having suffered back-to-back defeats to Huddersfield YMCA and Pocklington.

With eight league games remaining, Malton are seven points above a Middlesbrough side that occupy the second relegation spot.

Spokesman Bill Laidler said: “We still need to get some points on the board. It looked okay after we beat Wheatley Hills and West Hartlepool, but we have been dragged back.

“Old Crossleyans is not usually an easy place to go. It is a tight small pitch, which causes problems for everybody. They don’t tend to lose many games at home.

“We will have to see what we can do. Apart from Cleckheaton and Huddersfield YMCA, anybody can beat anybody in this league. It is very competitive.”

Second-rower Sean Emms is unavailable on Saturday, with Duncan Foster expected to take his place in the pack.

Laidler added: “We don’t have any major injuries. I would think that one or two who were bashed up after the Pocklington game a fortnight ago will be okay for Saturday.”