MALTON & Norton RUFC’s recovery in Yorkshire One will continue into the last game of the season after a hat-trick of tries from Nathan Reid and a magnificent performance from Ian Cooke helped to bring a thrilling 29-27 victory at Sheffield.

The win, achieved late on with a converted try, saw Malton settled in mid-table with only a home game against Selby, in 10 days’ time, to come.

They will also have bright hopes for next season. With the more experienced members now taking a leading role and the youngsters repaying the faith shown in them, there is now solidity and progression in the team.

In a scrappy first quarter at Abbeydale Park, Malton were forced to defend for long periods, but it was they who broke the deadlock.

Some controlled forward play took them into Sheffield’s territory and, when the ball was played back to Reid, he showed great skill and strength to burst through the defence and go over the line in between the posts, Cooke converting.

Sheffield are a hard-working outfit and seven minutes later the deficit was reduced with a superb drop goal into the wind. But Malton continued to boss the match and Cooke added a penalty to Malton’s lead to make it 10-3 half-time.

Malt started the half against the wind and Sheffield smelled victory. The South Yorkshire side were unlucky to see a penalty hit a post before a second effort was converted, bringing the gap to four points.

But Malton struck on the counter attack, with Dave Gardner bursting through several tackles and passing to fellow centre Reid for his second try of the game.

With the game going back and fourth, Sheffield’s left winger showed a great turn of pace to race over the try line. The conversion attempt was successful, cutting Malton’s lead down to two points.

But Malt replied after only a minute when Reid again sliced through for his third try, with Cooke again converting.

The drama continued, and when Sheffield raced over the line again they reduced Malton’s lead to two points once more.

The points looked to be going to Sheffield when a speculative kick upfield was shabbily dealt with by Malton and possession was lost, with the hosts dishing out punishment by Malton going over for a try and conversion.

Trailing 27-22 with ten minutes left and playing against the wind, Malton were running out of time, but then a Sheffield forward was shown a yellow card and from the resulting penalty in the home 22, the ball was played to Cooke, who scythed through to touch down under the posts to level the scores. While scoring, Cooke was viciously cut down and the Sheffield player was shown the red card for his inexplicable tackle.

Then up stepped Matt Williams to kick the game’s winning conversion.

Malton: I Cooke, E Richardson, N Reid, D Gardner, M Williams, W McCrone, J Newsome, A Turnbull, C Muscroft, E Gwilliam, D Foster, S Pease, S Triffitt, J Rounthwaite (G Dolman 55mins), S Badgery.