MALTON & Norton are odds-on for the play-off place in Yorkshire One - but they haven’t given hope of nicking the automatic promotion spot from Doncaster Phoenix.

Malton, relegated from North One East last year, are 23 points clear in second place, scintillating form having brought 13 straight wins.

They remain eight points behind Phoenix, though, with nine games to go, and they need the South Yorkshire side - who have a 100 per cent record - to slip up at least once before the two front-runners meet on what could yet be a winner-takes-all final day of the season.

Malt host lowly Old Brodleians at The Gannock this Saturday (2.15pm) confident of making it nine wins from nine at home, while Doncaster host sixth-placed Scarborough.

M&N club spokesman Bill Laidler did not hold out much hope of neighbours Boro doing them a favour but was not giving up on the title.

“It will be difficult for Scarborough - Doncaster’s ground is a bit of a fortress,” he said. “Not many people will come away from there with anything. But you never know. We’re relying on Doncaster losing twice and we have to win all our games, but if they lose once it could boil down to the last game.”

The league winners go straight up to North One East while the runners-up meet their counterparts in Northumberland & Durham One for another promotion place.

Malt have got themselves in a position to bounce back up - all after losing two of their opening four matches, 15-11 at Phoenix and 43-13 against a Middlesbrough side they have since hammered at home.

Said Laidler: “We played badly at Middlesbrough but the one at Doncaster - it was not a case of ‘could have won’ but ‘should have won’, but we missed a couple of kickable penalties.”

Malt, along with most of the league, had a weekend off last week, and Laidler did not think it would interrupt his side’s form.

“It came as a bit of a help really,” he said. “There were one or two players carrying niggling injuries so it’s given them a chance to get over them.”

He was not taking victory this Saturday as a given, though. “On paper maybe it should be,” he said. “But they ran us close at their place and it needed a last-minute try from Sizwe Zondo to beat them.

“That was early in the season, though, before we got things together properly. We have to fancy our chances now.”

Malton & Norton 2nds, meanwhile, drew 27-27 in a cracker at Pocklington 2nds on Saturday.

Malton, having struggled for numbers recently, travelled with a full complement, bolstered by extra availability, plus that of first team head coach Chris Creber.

Both sides scored five tries - Malton’s forwards notching three of theirs and Pocklington’s backs bagging four to underline in which areas each side dominated. Both sides added only one conversion Pock’s first came within 45 seconds of the start, but Malt levelled with a fine catch and drive from a lineout.

Further tries came from Mattie Williams, with an individual effort, Nick Salisbury and 17-year-old Josh Watson. The most entertaining came from Callum Stark, who crossed the line without his shorts, as they had been ripped off him when he broke through tackles.

Malton 2nds go to Old Brodlieans this Saturday hoping to good numbers again.