YORK Acorn boss Scott Rhodes reckons last week’s hammering of Ince Rose Bridge shows his side are very much in the promotion frame - but now he wants that all-important consistency.

Acorn sit in the play-off zone in National Conference League division one, but that is purely down to their home form, and, with a tough trip to Shaw Cross Sharks coming up this Saturday (2.30pm), Rhodes is calling on his side to show they can do the business on the road too.

Rhodes is likely to have a similar side at his disposal to the one that beat high-riding Bridge 40-14, though half-back Thomas Mackley is struggling with a knee injury, with top points scorer Antony Chilton and Jake Calam vying for a recall.

Said the head coach: “In the first half (against Ince Rose Bridge) we probably made too many errors and bombed chances but in the second we redeemed ourselves and played really well.

“Our pack was outstanding and we got our rewards for sticking to the game-plan.

“We’ve just got to get that consistency. It’s a bit up and down. Not many teams have put 40 points on Ince Rose Bridge this year but we now have to pick up points at Shaw Cross.

“It’s a difficult place to go, but then it seems every away game is difficult for us this year. It’d be nice to go there and get two points.”

Last week, Rhodes outlined a desire to win three of the four upcoming fixtures. With one down, now come Shaw Cross, Myton - the only team to beat them at Thanet Road this term - and leaders Normanton.

Said Rhodes: “I really think it’s achievable but’s important we get a result this week.

“We’re in the promotion mix. Our home form is keeping us in there so we need to pick up our away form. If we can get three of four we will be well up in the play-offs and in good stead with the games we have remaining.”

Acorn ‘A’, who hammered Birstall ‘A’ in Yorkshire Men’s League division one to bolster their title hopes, host mid-table Oulton Raiders ‘A’ on Saturday.

Heworth, third in division three, return to action after a week off with a home game against Featherstone Lions ‘A’. They will look to bounce back from a narrow loss to Elland ‘A’ last time out.

York Lokomotive, whose second successive draw took them top of division three on points-difference, albeit having played more games than Knottingley Worms, will look for a first win in four outings when they go to Ossett Trinity.