MALTON & Norton RUFC are aiming to inflict a third home defeat in four matches on North One East rivals Old Crossleyans tomorrow.

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 team 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. “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, with Duncan Foster expected to take his place in the pack.

Meanwhile, Pocklington host Rochdale, the team directly below them in North One East.

It is the first time the Lancashire side have played at Pock, after their switch from the North West leagues at the start of the season.

Pocklington will include lock Tom Peters, back row Karl Durkin and threequarter Jack Fletcher back to the squad.

The Panthers and Pilgrims host Scunthorpe and Hullensians respectively.