New Earswick ARLC stayed top of Pennine League division two by hammering Stainland 46-4 and then saw their title hopes aided by a key result elsewhere.

All Blacks were always likely to beat the struggling Stags and did so comfortably despite not giving one of their better displays of the season.

And they were then buoyed by a 23-14 victory for second-placed Newsome over third-placed Kippax Welfare.

Newsome thus stayed level on points with the All Blacks but, more significantly, Kippax - previously with only one defeat and thus with their destiny in their own hands - are now two points behind with only one game in hand, having also been given a 30-0 walkover result this week against lowly Elland 'A', a scoreline which did not significantly improve their points-difference, which is far inferior to New Earswick's.

Dave Carling was the star of the All Blacks show, with a hat-trick of tries playing in the unfamiliar position of centre.

He got the first two scores, which were both created by Chris Judge and Jamie Rhodes, and, following a period of sloppy play, Judge got the third when he picked up a loose ball and beat four defenders. James Sanderson converted all three tries for an 18-0 half-time lead.

Judge got his second soon after the interval from scrum-half Ben Jones' pass before Stainland got reward for their efforts with a try in the corner.

However, the game was never in doubt and All Blacks were to run in four more tries.

Winger Sanderson scored in the corner, before another Jones break saw centre Dan Wellard get on the scoresheet. Substitute Carl Pallister then took centre-stage as he broke to put Jones over and then, following a great Rhodes break, sent man of the match Carling in for his hat-trick try two minutes from time.

Sanderson added four more goals in the second half for a personal tally of 18 points.

Rhodes, hard-working prop Mark Boitoit and full-back Paul Dooley were all excellent.

York Acorn 'A' stayed top of division four with a comfortable 39-0 win at Meltham All Blacks, but Selby Warriors' title hopes in division five suffered a big dent as they lost their top-of-the-table match at Bank Top 28-14.

The Warriors stay top but the Harriers, one of only two teams in the entire league with a 100 per cent record, are now level on points with three games in hand.

York Groves were pipped 20-18 in a mid-table encounter at West Craven.

Heworth 'A' walked into the next round of the Yorkshire League Alliance Cup with a 30-0 result over Chequerfield.

Updated: 10:50 Tuesday, February 08, 2005