NEW Earswick All Blacks extended their lead in Yorkshire Men’s League division one to five points with a 32-10 victory over the Knottingley Worms.

Prop Dan Atkinson gave his side the perfect start when scoring his seventh try of the season after just eight minutes.

Tom Holmes added the conversion.

Tom Barron then linked up with fullback Ewen Coverdale to set up winger Sam Cooper who skipped past his opposite number and touched down in the corner.

Holmes was unable to convert from a tight angle.

Left winger Ben Stoker increased the All Blacks advantage to 14 points with his fourth try of the season after a kick along the floor by Liam Gargan beat the defenders.

Holmes missed the conversion in the high wind.

Knottingley had the final say in the first half but only after the All Blacks defended 23 tackles on their own line.

A penalty was eventually conceded leading to a cross-field kick which a Knottingley player plucked out of the air to touch down.

The conversion was missed.

Leading 14-4 at the start of the second half, the All Blacks soon added to the scoresheet again as fullback Coverdale touched down for his second of the season.

Holmes then kicked between the posts.

Knottingley reduced the deficit to 20-10 with a converted try before Stoker got his second of the match after a series of quick ‘play-the-balls’ and a pass from Gargan. Holmes, however, was unable to convert the kick.

Hooker Jack Carling showed good improvisation to score his fourth try of the season. Impeded by three Knottingley players and with his back to the try line, Carling still managed to reach out with the ball in one hand to touch down over his head.

Again, Holmes missed the kick but the All Blacks now held an 18 point advantage.

Man of the match Tommy Hields scored his ninth try in five appearances, racing over 60 metres after breaking the Knottingley defence.

No-one was quick enough to catch the centre who touched down on the left edge of the field. Holmes again missed the kick.

Neighbours Heworth, meanwhile, have dropped to fourth in the table after suffering a third consecutive defeat at Osdal Sedbergh.

Lacking several first-team regulars, Heworth went down 44-36 on a difficult sloping pitch.

They had trailed 34-14 at the break and, despite a determined second half effort, were never quite able to make up the deficit.

Heworth’s try scorers were Liam Jackson (3), Max Carry (2), Fergus Chapman and player-coach George Elliott with Joe Deighton kicking four conversions.