Heworth Rugby League Club have been consigned to the National Conference League's basement after defeat at Siddal last night all but relegated them from division one.

Although not mathematically down with two games left to play, the Villagers have a far inferior points difference to relegation rivals East Leeds. Only miraculously massive victories in their last two games against bottom club Millom and Wigan St Judes will save them.

They were hammered 40-2 by the title-chasing West Yorkshiremen last night, leaving them with just nine points from 24 games.

Club spokesman Ken Sykes said they were now eager to get the season out of the way and concentrate on a rapid return.

"It was a spirited effort, but not enough to stop us going down into the second division," he said.

"It's disappointing but we've got to come back. We obviously want to bounce straight back but it's not going to be easy."

He added: "We did not play all that badly last night, daft as it may seem. We battled pretty well. But once again we made the same sort of mistakes and whenever we made an error they punished us."

An eighth-minute Dameon Pickles try plus Steve Gracy conversion gave Siddal the lead, with Jason Gatus goaling Heworth's only points of the match four minutes later.

The visitors were still in the game until five minutes from half-time, when David Holmes touched down the first of his hat-trick. Matt Smith crossed with Gracy converting for 16-2 at the break.

Siddal ran in four more converted tries without reply in the second half, Craig Turner getting the first, Holmes getting two in five minutes, and Jason Blackburn notching the final score.

Updated: 12:57 Thursday, April 26, 2001