NEW Earswick All Blacks ARLC still have hopes of escaping the drop this term - although they are not being helped by a tough schedule.

All Blacks sit rock bottom of the Yorkshire Men's League premier division with just one win from nine outings heading into tonight's difficult trip to Halifax outfit Siddal 'A' - their second of three games in eight days.

However, they go into it only two points adrift of safety still, and with confidence that they can compete in this tier following their unfortunate 22-12 reverse at second-placed Bentley on Saturday.

And, while player-coach Jack Stearman has intimated that a much-depleted team will travel this evening with hope rather than expectation, he reckons there are enough games left in which to clamber out of the bottom two.

"We definitely have hopes of staying up," said Stearman, whose team went up from division one last year.

"There are five games remaining. We have to play (leaders) Batley Boys and (third-placed) East Hull and we're going to Siddal on a night - which is not ideal when you want to pick up a result.

"But we've also got (relegation rivals) Lindley Swifts and Bramley to come and we can target those to pick up points and hopefully stay up."

On tonight's game, he said: "A Wednesday night away from home is not easy. We're missing a few lads due to work and other commitments but we'll try to put a performance together and do the best we can."

Among those expected to be absent tonight are props Scott Birch and Mark Hayes (unavailable) and half-back Connor Calam (ankle).

Stearman himself got both of All Blacks' tries at Bentley, with Tom Barron adding the goals, while Jack Carling was named man of the match at loose-forward.

"It was one we should have won," said Stearman, notwithstanding the fact Bentley are riding high.

"It was one of our best performances of the season but three errors cost us three tries. When you take them out, it's two tries to one in our favour and we could possibly have nicked the result.

"We're still learning and it's a big learning curve in this division."

York Acorn 'A', meanwhile, will hope to continue their resurgence in division one tonight when they go to second-placed Cutsyke Raiders (7.30pm).

The Blue and Golds, after losing their first seven games of the season, now sit third-bottom after four wins on the bounce, the latest being a 52-16 thrashing of Hull Wyke on Saturday.

Tonight's game will be tougher, especially on the road, but Acorn will have confidence - and victory would not only bolster Acorn's hopes of beating the drop but also boost cross-city neighbours Heworth's title chances.