Kingstone Press National Conference League Division One: York Acorn 40 Hull Dockers 12

YORK Scorn gave a scintillating second-half performance, overturning a 12-10 half-time deficit with 30 unanswered points against spirited opponents to end a four-match losing run.

Acorn were again without several of their more established players and could have been expected to take time to gel.

But it was the home side who struck first on seven minutes when full back Mark Sanderson crashed over from close range off a Tom Hill pass.

Stand-in goal-kicker, second-rower Brandon Harris, failed with his first conversion attempt but later acquitted himself well to his new duties.

Five minutes later, Dockers' best player, centre Daniel Tuffour, caused problems with his powerful running and set up a position inside the Acorn 20, a quick play-the-ball resulting in the visitors scoring a try through second-rower Steve Milne to which loose forward George Russell added the conversion to put the visitors 6-4 ahead.

Things got worse for Acorn on 25 minutes when fellow second rower Dave Palmer took advantage of Acorn players getting off the floor slowly in their own 20 to get on the end of a Dylan Rawlins pass to go in for a try which Russell improved for 12-4.

Acorn worked hard to stem the tide, however, and refereshing new half-backs, stand-off Lewis Lord and debutant scrum half Lewis Brown began to help shape the game in their favour.

Coupled with the sniping runs from substitute acting half and hooker Nick Speck, who was man of the match, and the powerful driving runs of destructive prop forward Tim Stubbs, who created havoc every time he had the ball in his hands, the game swung dramatically Acorn's way.

The first telling blow came after 35 minutes when they reduced the deficit, with Fox crashing over from close range for a try which Harris successfully converted.

Trailing 12-10, Acorn's better discipline was a factor in their revival, while the Dockers seemed to lose their cool.

Acorn took full advantage, with Harris penalties on 43 and 46 minutes putting them 14-12 in front.

Quality passing in their approach play, allied to defence-splitting runs from Speck at acting half role, helped to put winger Matty Downes over in the corner on 58 minutes for a try which Harris added the extras to, making it 20-12.

A storming 63rd-minute tackle-busting break on halfway by Stubbs enabled him to race 30 metres before offloading to the supporting Lord, who cantered over under the posts, Harris converting for 26-12.

A rare Hull Dockers attack on 67 minutes was thwarted when Acorn left winger Josh Thompson intercepted on his own line before racing the full length of the pitch to score an unconverted try to give them a healthy 30-12 advantage.

Acorn should have scored when captain Hill hit the perfect line, only to lose possession in the act of scoring.

They also nearly scored when Downes went over in the corner, but it was ruled out for a forward pass.

Moments later though, on 72 minutes, Acorn did score an excellent try through Harry Bromwich, created off some wonderful interchange passing between Lord and Brown, allied to willing players running supporting lines off the ball, which created the space for Bromwich to race over from ten metres.

Harris' kick made it 36-12, and the final points of an entertaining second half came on 79 minutes when more excellent approach play, this time involving Brown and Bromwich, enabled the powerful Downes to go in for his second try of the game out wide.

Others to catch the eye for Acorn were centre Jake Calam, who linked well in the three-quarters, substitute forward Bromwich, who had his best game of the season with his passing and running game, and York RUFC player Chris Fox, who seems to be enjoying his stint in rugby league by giving an infectious energised display in attack and defence off the bench.