MALTON & Norton have been backed to swiftly dust themselves off and relaunch a promotion bid next term after their season ended in play-off despair.

The Ryedale side, relegated from North One East last year, were one victory away from bouncing straight back up when they went to the North East to take on Morpeth in a promotion play-off showdown.

They had plenty of chances to win it, too, but those opportunities went begging and a brave rearguard effort ultimately saw the Tynesiders take the prize with a 14-11 success.

M&N spokesman Bill Laidler, however, was already looking ahead to going one step further next term.

“This is still a young Malton side and they will strike back next season,” he said.

“Ali Coe, Sam Triffitt, Sean Emms and Paul Angus are all still in their first flush of youth and, backed up by the older Ian Cooke and Jim Thornton, can only improve.”

Malton & Norton and Morpeth had finished runners-up in their respective leagues – Yorkshire One and Northumberland/Durham One – with the latter getting home advantage due to a better playing record over the season. Yorkshire One, though, is deemed by many to be the stronger league of the two.

Of the play-off, in which Malt had two tries ruled out, wasted a two-man overlap when a touchdown looked certain and missed two penalties and a conversion, Laidler said: “We had several opportunities to take the honours.

“However, Morpeth must be congratulated for a magnificent defensive performance which held us at bay for much of the game.

“It was so near yet so far. Had we taken our chances we would have been clear winners. It was not to be and it will be Morpeth playing in North One East next season.”

The Malton pack opened in storming mood and took play deep into home territory with a series of drives which had Morpeth struggling to hold.

The inevitable first penalty came in the third minute. Ian Cooke’s effort rebounded off a post and a further effort two minutes later sailed past a post. Morpeth were quick to take advantage and worked their way upfield to gain a scrum on the Malton 22-metre line.

The initial break was stopped but when the ball went wide an overlap resulted in a try in the corner. That setback did not deter Malton and they again put together some excellent moves to pressurise the Morpeth line. Again the penalties came as the hosts’ defence got desperate. This time Cooke converted two efforts in a short space of time for a 6-5 lead.

On the half hour mark, in one of few sorties into Malton’s half, Morpeth struck again with a penalty to retake the lead but they were then reduced to 14 men for 10 minutes when a front-row forward was sin-binned for his side’s persistent offending at the breakdown.

Malton were unable to capitalise, though, and Morpeth went further ahead from a penalty on half-time when the visitors entered a maul from the side.

Straight from the restart Malton were on the offensive. Again good forward play took them into scoring territory and when they crossed the line hooker Jim Thornton was denied a score against his former team when the referee adjudged he had been held up.

At the resultant scrum, Malton edged forward and scrum-half Paul Angus picked up and darted over to level the scores.

The conversion failed, though, and the scores were locked for a long period of time as Malton battled to get the vital next breakthrough.

That appeared to have come when a good run from wing Tom Newitt took play into the corner.

A forward drive again got them over the line but again they were adjudged to have been held up.

At the midway point of the half, Morpeth again struck. Having worked their way into the Malton half for almost the first time in the second period they were awarded and converted a penalty for a 14-11 lead.

Still Malton pressed and came close on several occasions – at one point squandering a two-man overlap when a try seemed certain.

For the final 15 minutes Malton were camped in the home half but the defence held firm.

Malton: S Zondo, T Newitt, J Heggie, S Moabi, B Woodhouse, I Cooke, P Angus, N Salisbury, J Thornton, R Featherstone, S Emms, J Rounthwaite, A Coe, S Triffitt, J Machin. Subs (all used): J Lumley, S Thompson, R Armitage.