THE contrasting fortunes of York's top two amateur clubs was clear as York Acorn hammered Heworth 48-4 at Elmpark Way.

The Villagers thus continue to prop up the entire National Conference League with no points from five games and a points-against tally of 208. Those statistics don't lie.

Acorn, on the other hand, look set for a promotion push, two points off the top two with a game in hand and with the best defensive record in division two.

And they couldn't have given themselves a bigger fillip than racking up their biggest-ever win over their arch-rivals.

Heworth had hoped the emotion of the encounter might help kick-start their season, with these matches rarely going entirely to form. But instead the game was the most one-sided derby in the history of their Conference clashes.

Jonny Waldron has been scoring tries for fun recently and continued in that vein with an early brace to go with a Danny Liddell touchdown, plus four Kevin Brundrett goals, as the Blue and Golds took a commanding 20-0 lead at half-time.

Will Neary and Sam Clarke were the pick of the Heworth side but could not prevent it getting worse for the hosts after the break as further tries came from excellent prop Mick Hagan, hooker Michael Fitzsimmons, centre Paul Day with a double and prop Paul Payne, with Brundrett taking his goal tally to eight in the game.

Heworth did, however, manage to break through the excellent Acorn defence once as top-scorer Gavin Grant nipped over after being set up by Ian Jones. But it proved negligible consolation for a side who are, frankly, in the doldrums.

Updated: 09:27 Monday, October 04, 2004