NEW Earswick All Blacks ARLC reached the final of the York & District Cup after defeating York Acorn 24-14.

All Blacks took the lead after ten minutes when player coach Jack Stearman powered over, with Tom Holmes adding the extras.

The visitors led 12-0 at the break after man of the match Carl Smith crossed, with Holmes converting.

Acorn hit back in the second half with two unconverted tries in the opening five minutes to narrow the gap to four points.

Having soaked up Acorn pressure, the All Blacks broke out for Stearman to claim his second try and Holmes was again successful with the kick.

Acorn again narrowed the gap, but All Blacks sealed their place in the final when Liam Gargan’s kick was fumbled by Acorn and Sean Malarkey pounced to touch down in the last minute. Holmes converted.

Heworth began life in division two of the Yorkshire Men’s League with a morale-boosting 30-22 victory at East Leeds ‘A’.

The hosts took the lead after nine minutes but Heworth hit back on 23 minutes when centre Danny Simpson supported a fine break by loose forward Joe Deighton to cross next to the posts for Deighton to add the conversion.

East Leeds responded on the half hour with a touchdown but, five minutes before the break, slick handling led to Deighton going over for an unconverted score.

Six minutes into the second period, the Villagers took the lead when Simpson picked up a loose ball close to his own line and sprinted 50 metres before handing on to fellow centre Ben Stoker, who raced over. On 53 minutes, Simpson added his second touchdown to make it 18-12.

The Leeds outfit came back with two tries in a nine-minute period to lead 22-18. Heworth were not to be denied and they clinched victory with winger Lewis Hartley bursting through for two fine individual tries, both goaled by Deighton.

Prop Mark Hayes took the man of the match award, with strong support from second rower Lewis Worthington and Simpson.

Rugby league returned to York’s Knavesmire after a two-decade absence when York Lokomotive were edged out 33-30 Castleford Lock Lane ‘A’ in their final friendly ahead of the Yorkshire Men’s League campaign.

The York side grabbed the first try as powerhouse centre Zak Hardy exploited a gap in the Lock Lane defence to glide through unopposed, soon followed over by scrum-half Tyler Dawson, Dawson adding the extras for a 10-0 lead.

The visitors scored 20 unanswered points in a 15-minute spell, but the Lokos hit back on the stroke of half-time with a Jon Cambridge try, again converted by Dawson.

Hooker Ricky James claimed a try in the opening minute of the second period, with Dawson converting.

Cambridge then raced in from 40 metres and James also crossed, with Liam Watling converting the latter for a 30-20 lead.

However, the Castleford outfit scored three unconverted tries before adding a last-gasp drop goal.

The best performers for Lokos were Cambridge and Watling, with impressive spells from debut prop Adam Cooke.

Meanwhile, Selby Warriors were 50-20 winners at home to Wakefield City in Pennine League division four.