REJUVENATED York Acorn ARLC made it back-to-back wins in the National Conference League premier division with an excellent 38-28 victory at bottom-of-the-table Hull Dockers.

Acorn began life back in amateur rugby league's elite tier with six straight defeats but they are eyeing safety now after this second win.

Assistant-coach Paul Lumby said: "While the performance was at times laboured and there is a three-point gap to get to that all-important fourth-from-bottom slot, the team now have real belief coursing through their veins."

Acorn lost experienced prop Adam Endersby to concussion in the very first tackle of the game after a head high shot.

But within five minutes they took the lead when winger Jack Stewart barged over and, on 12 minutes, in-form centre Ryan Gallacher scored out wide, Antony Chilton converting both times.

Acorn then stopped playing with such intensity and urgency, making handling errors and losing the floor, allowing their hosts to take control with four tries and three goals in the second quarter for a 22-12 interval lead.

Acorn needed a response on the resumption - and they got one.

Two minutes in, stand-off Chilton drilled the ball along the ground close to the Hull line and, after several ricochets, centre Jordan Myers touched down a vital try, Chilton goaling.

Acorn's tactical kicking game gained rewards five minutes later, when man-of-the-match prop forward Joe Porter kicked the ball behind the Dockers defence early in the tackle count and alert second-row Matthew Woods ran through to level the scores.

On 55 minutes, soft goal-line defence allowed their hosts to retake a 28-22 lead, Acorn also suffering injuries.

They knew they had to make changes and a tactical switch saw Matt Chilton move to full-back and Jake Calam to centre.

It paid dividends on the hour, when Calam capitalised on a storming run by forward Daryl North, showing great footwork to score a try which Chilton goaled to level things up again.

This time Acorn smelt blood.

On 68 minutes, more powerful running out wide by North set up the play from which fellow forward Matthew Woods smashed through.

Then on 76 minutes, more excellent footwork saw the resurgent Calam score a wonderful try out on the fringes, Chilton's extras clinching the win.

Top performers for Acorn were Porter, North and James Bromwich in the forward exchanges, while teenage debutant George Mosley showed up well as the game went on.

The pick of the backs were Gallacher and Calam at centre, while utility player Joel Johnson provided the best defensive moment when somehow getting under the ball to prevent Dockers from notching a fifth first-half try at a vital moment.