York Acorn ARLC Under-18s helped their play-off chances with a cracking 26-26 draw against high-riding Normanton.

Acorn fell behind before gradually turning the balance. Jimmy Mountford followed his own little kick to score before good pressure down the right created the position for Joel Johnson to break through. Antony Chilton converted both.

Acorn gained dominance, with props Josh Mortimer and Chris Rushworth pushing Normanton back, and they almost scored again when full-back Eddie Clapham chased Chilton’s kick to the corner.

They did make it 18-0 after the break when, after man-of-the-match Chris Rushworth and Johnson had created mayhem with punishing runs, George Holroyd burst through, Chilton goaling.

However, Normanton scored direct from the restart and, while a Chilton penalty steadied the ship, Normanton again re-gathered from the restart and burst through to make it 20-14.

Chilton’s kick bounced awkwardly with Matt Woods seizing on Normanton hesitancy to cut through, Chilton goaling.

Back came Normanton again and, despite hard defensive work by Mountford, Carl Loft, Tom Eaton, Johnson and Mortimer, they equalised.

Two-try Thomas Atkin was man of the match as York Acorn U11s won 32-24 in a battle in the rain at Doncaster Toll Bar.

The coaches’ player-of-the-match, Reece Maynard, bagged three tries and two conversions in a fine team show in which debutant Jacob Sanderson played well, Luke Cook took the ball in determinedly, and the whole side tackled tirelessly, led by Owen Levers.

Jack Wyard also scored a try, with Levers and Dalton Brolly adding a goal each.