A 76th-MINUTE try by teenage full-back Jake Calam saw York Acorn ARLC beat the odds and storm into the National Conference League division one play-off final after a stunning 24-22 win at Shaw Cross Sharks.

The try completed an excellent fight-back by Acorn in a tense semi-final against an in-form side - and made a mockery of the Blue and Golds' poor away form this year.

Scott Rhodes' men had only won four times on the road all term, with only their home form getting them a play-off berth with a fifth-placed finish. But one of those wins had been against the Sharks, who had finished fourth, and they did it again on Saturday.

They will now meet Normanton Knights in the final in Widnes next Sunday for a place back in the premier division, amateur rugby league's flagship top flight. Favourites Normanton edged Ince Rose Bridge 30-26 in the other semi-final.

Shaw Cross must have thought they had the game won as they raced 14-0 up inside ten minutes.

Acorn could not get any possession of note during the opening 15 minutes and a combination of poor defence and indiscipline saw their hosts canter in for three tries, one converted.

However, Rhodes' troops showed great character to stubbornly get themselves back into the game.

On 17 minutes, they breathed life back into their play-off dreams with a try by scrum-half Joe Budd, who also added the conversion.

This was just the lift they needed and on 29 minutes they further reduced the deficit to 14-10, when in-form centre Ryan Gallagher crossed.

Then, with the half-time break in sight, winger Josh Thompson got on the end of an excellent passing sequence along their three-quarters to fly over in the corner and tie the scores up at 14-14.

However, Acorn were again caught cold at the start of the second half when on 43 minutes the Sharks showed their bite in attack to move back in front with a converted try.

They soon stretched their lead further with a penalty to go 22-14 to the good.

The next score was vital and Acorn got it, to get the fight-back rolling again on 57 minutes.

Winger Josh Thompson was the scorer, going over out wide after an excellent free-flowing passing move, with Antony Chilton adding the extras.

The game then became an intense arm wrestle with key performers for Acorn in a real team effort being experienced prop forward Adam Endersby, young fellow forward Tim Stubbs, who pulled off a piece of amazing try-line defence to thwart their hosts when they looked sure to score, hooker Nick Speck, who saved his best performance of the season for the biggest game to date, and hard-working substitute forward Daryll North.

Acorn also battled on for ten minutes a man down after Thomson was sin-binned for dissent.

But they finally got their rewards for a wholehearted team performance when Calam scored that try, going in at the corner.

The last five minutes were a testimony to Acorn's resolve in defence that frustrated their hosts to the point of desperation - and booked their final berth.