PROLIFIC goalkicker Teei Piawi took his tally to 254 points for the season as Yorkshire One champions Malton & Norton RUFC closed out the campaign with a 35-31 defeat at Sheffield.

The Ryedale side went close to pulling off a stunning victory despite the sending off of player coach Chris Creber for dissent, but runners-up Sheffield held on to take the points.

With both sides already promoted before the game, there was only pride at stake in South Yorkshire on Saturday but the rivals produced a game littered with yellow cards.

The hosts were quick to get on the scoreboard. A knock on from the Sheffield kick off gave them an attacking scrum near the Malton line.

A pick up and feed from the back row produced the extra man for a try in the corner.

Five minutes later, and without having had any possession, Malton went further behind when they strayed offside at a ruck and Sheffield fly-half Donal Collins converted the penalty.

On a Sheffield counter-attack, Malton flanker Mark Bradshaw was shown a yellow card for obstruction in an offside position.

Three minutes later, Creber was pushed over the ball at a ruck and was deemed to have deliberately killed the ball.

He was about to be shown a yellow card but some badly chosen words to the referee saw the colour change to red.

Collins again converted the penalty.

An accurate cross-field kick from Collins then caught out 13-man Malt and the Sheffield winger scored in the corner. Collins converted.

Five minutes before the break, a clean catch at a lineout was driven forward and flanker George Harrison got the touch down. Piawi converted from wide out.

Another cruel blow then struck Malt when prop Paul Dobson was forced off with a wrist injury.

Young debutant Tom Francis took his place and produced a mature display in the front row.

Trailing 21-7 at half-time, Malt were rejuvenated at the start of the second half.

Centre Rob Armitage joined a rolling maul and broke off to muscle his way over for the first try of the half. Piawi converted.

Five minutes later, they inched closer when Piawi reached 250 points for the season with a penalty when Sheffield failed to release after a tackle.

Wing Josh Saunders then broke from defence and handed on to substitute flanker Sam Harrison, who sent wing Tom Newitt over from 40 metres out. Piawi goaled and Malton held a three-point advantage.

Sheffield retaliated with two tries of their own when Malton were guilty of not retaining possession well enough.

However, the visitors struck back from a scrum 20 metres out, with Tom Newitt scoring his second try after a mazy run. Piawi again added the extras.

Malton battered away for the final 10 minutes, but they were unable to avoid only their second defeat in 26 league games.

Malton & Norton: I Cooke, T Newitt, R Armitage, T Piawi, J Saunders, C Creber, D Cattle, P Dobson (T Francis 39), C Muscroft, A Turnbull, D Foster, R Webster, M Bradshaw (A Mitchell 50), G Harrison (S Harrison 55), J Dobson.