Heworth ARLC's improvement continued at Elmpark Way on Saturday but they had nothing to show for it as a try deep into injury time succumbed them to defeat against Ovenden.

The Villagers led 16-14 as the clock ticked down but hopes of a second consecutive victory were cruelly downed when Gareth English shot over the whitewash for the winner, Chris Hartley converting.

The one silver lining to the narrow defeat was that the York team climbed off the bottom of the National Conference League division two table on points-difference following heavy defeats for fellow strugglers Huddersfield Sharks and Saddleworth Rangers.

Heworth had had most of the territorial advantage in the first half but the visitors led 12-8 at the break, the difference between the sides being Hartley's two conversions on the back of tries by Chris Scott and Dave Hebblewhite.

Heworth's first-half tries had been scored by Sam Clarke and prolific winger Gavin Grant off the running of the outstanding Nikki Wilson, and they drew level six minutes after the interval when half-back Nicky Dobson crossed.

However, Carl Potter had been unable to add any first-half extras and when Dobson took over the kicking - when Potter and an opponent were in the sin-bin for fighting - he horribly sliced wide his goal shot from in front of the sticks.

Harley edged Ovenden ahead with a penalty but the Villagers looked to have won the game when Dobson put in Grant - hat-trick scorer last week - for his second try and the hosts' fourth, but the goal attempt was again wide, and the two-point advantage proved not enough.

Heworth spokesman Ken Sykes said: "It was unfortunate. We scored four tries against three but did not kick a goal, including one from under the posts, and this proved costly.

"It was still a good performance and we should really have won."

There was no such trouble for York Acorn as Kevin Brundrett goaled all six of their tries as they maintained the pressure at the top of the table with a 36-6 triumph at Cottingham.

The Tigers had drawn first blood on four minutes through Mark Cassidy's try and goal, but the Blue and Golds conceded no more points and were well ahead by half-time thanks to touchdowns by prop Adam Endersby, second-row Carl Barrow and hooker Michael Fitzsimmons.

Second-half tries followed from Fitzsimmons again, substitute prop Lee McTigue and centre Mick Embleton as half-back Andy Lee and Andy Gargan ran the show.

Delighted boss Dave Kay said: "The forwards laid the platform and the half-backs were excellent.

"In fact it was a really good performance from one to 17.

"We had been getting by with wins without playing particularly brilliantly, but we asked for a much-improved performance and that's what we got.

"It was probably one of our best displays this year and it puts us in a good position ahead of this week's game against Saddleworth."

Updated: 09:52 Monday, November 01, 2004