HEWORTH ARLC kick off their Yorkshire Men's League campaign on Saturday expecting to get better and better as the season progresses.

The Black and Whites, who are in a mouthwatering division one alongside neighbours New Earswick All Blacks and York Acorn 'A', went through the pre-season Forty-20 Cup group games without picking up a win, including a 36-24 defeat to the All Blacks.

But, having treated those outings as warm-ups, they will be looking to get on a roll in the league, starting with a home clash against West Hull 'A' (2.30pm).

They will be missing some young guns, including Dan Simpson and Liam Richmond who recently helped Northumbria lift the University Championship when defeating reigning champs Leeds Beckett in the final, but should have prop Mark Hayes, son of York RL legend Richie, available on dual-reg from League One team Oxford.

Club secretary Ken Sykes, referring to a bottom-half finish last season, said: "I might have different goals to (player-coach) George Elliott, but we want to show progression - we'd like to think we can do better than last year.

"Ultimately we need to be playing at a higher level but we have to be certain we could compete up there."

On the Forty-20 Cup, he said: "We were given some tough games - paired with three premier division teams and of course New Earswick.

"That All Blacks game was closer than the scoreline showed. We got one or two fairly harsh calls in my opinion but it was a good game and it augers well I think for future matches between the York teams in this division.

"Hopefully we'll get stronger as the season goes on. We've got some players to come back - including lads from university and a few from rugby union."

New Earswick - probably the happiest of the three York teams after the Forty-20 Cup group section - expect to field a strong line-up as they kick off their maiden summer league campaign at home to Odsal Sedbergh.

They were set to be without playmaker Liam Gargan, full-back Sean Malarkey and Tom Barron for last week's Forty-20 group game against Doncaster Toll Bar - a fixture which was conceded by the South Yorkshiremen thereby seeing the All Blacks qualify for the semi-finals with a 100 per cent record - but that trio are all available this week.

Brothers Bobby and Dean Smith are out, but player-coach Stearman said: "We're looking quite strong and I fancy our chances, especially at home."

Stearman has been delighted with his team's Forty-20 form, particularly given they chopped and changed - "experimenting" with the line-up and tactics before the season proper.

But he is to leave it a few weeks before setting targets for the division one campaign.

"Summer rugby is new to us, as is this competition," he explained, All Blacks having switched from the winter Pennine League last year.

"We'd wanted to use the Forty-20 Cup to experiment. We're now going to go through the first couple of league games and assess things after that, setting ourselves some realistic goals then.

"I will say, however, it's important to win our home games and that's what we'll be looking at. The squad is strong enough to compete, whoever is in there."

York Acorn 'A' - who have reached the Forty-20 Cup final in each of the previous four years it has been held but won only one in four outings this term - kick off at home to Knottingley Worms.