Gallant Crossleyans fall agonisingly short in Malton loss
Old Crossleyans were left to rue a series of first-half errors as they slipped to a heart-breaking 28-27 defeat to Malton and Norton at Broomfield on Saturday.
Despite a spirited second-half fightback, the Crocs fell just a single point short in a Regional 2 North East encounter that went down to the final play.
The hosts struggled for rhythm early on and a clinical Malton side took full advantage, crossing twice to establish a 10-0 lead.
The Crocs found a lifeline when Alex Thompson spotted a gap from a quick Chris Vine penalty, powering through untouched to get the hosts on the board.
However, a Malton penalty shortly before the interval left the score 13-5 at the break.
The mountain grew steeper after the restart as the visitors extended their lead to 20-5.
But spurred on by the home faithful, Crossleyans finally found their gear. A well-worked move saw Josh Hunt feed James Johnson, who finished well in the corner.
Momentum shifted further when sustained forward pressure allowed captain Tom Metcalfe to force his way over, with Johnson’s conversion narrowing the gap to 20-17.
Though Malton responded with an unconverted try, the Crocs hit back immediately. Jacob Pollard powered over from close range following a dominant carry, and Johnson’s conversion brought the hosts within a point.
A subsequent Johnson penalty edged Crocs into a 27-25 lead with minutes remaining, but Malton regained the advantage with a penalty of their own that clipped the post on its way through.
In a frantic finale, the Crocs launched one last attack, only for a judged knock-on to end the comeback in cruel fashion.
While the loss is a blow for second-bottom Crossleyans, the four-try bonus point and losing bonus point could prove vital in the relegation battle and they are only three points adrift of ninth-placed Pontefract.
The match also marked the final appearance of the season for Sebastiano da Silva. Now in his second season at Broomfield, da Silva has been a standout performer, forming a formidable second-row partnership with George Banham.