YORK Acorn ARLC have a minor injury crisis on their hands - but boss Leigh Paul-Rientoul is optimistic his troops can overcome it to kickstart their National Conference League campaign.

Acorn travel over the Pennines to Ince Rose Bridge on Saturday (2.30pm) for a division one clash between two teams who are keen to get on the winning trail sooner rather than later.

The Blue and Golds have two victories from six outings, narrowly losing at home to Milford Marlins last time out after Karl Harton was sent off for alleged punching early in the second half.

But Ince Rose Bridge are below them in the table with only one victory, and Paul-Rientoul is targeting an away win.

"They've been struggling as well and I'd like to think we can go there and get the points," he said.

"I'm pretty sure without the sending-off we would have beaten Milford - discipline continues to let us down. I can shout at them about it till I'm blue in the face but only the players can control that.

"We're just getting beat by two or four points - it's time we started turning those defeats into victories by two or four points."

Harton faces a disciplinary hearing this week which could see him join the growing list of unavailable players.

Reece Rushworth, the younger brother of York City Knights' former Acorn pack star Joe Porter, is also out this week, as is Jack Byrnes after his jaw operation.

In further blows, skipper Tom Hill is now out for a couple of months after breaking ribs against Milford - having only just returned from a long spell on the sidelines after his knee surgery - while veteran prop Adam Endersby is a doubt after suffering concussion playing for Acorn 'A' last week. Adam Speck (ankle) also remains doubtful.

Paul-Rientoul is hopeful Jack Stewart might be okay to make his season bow after his chest surgery but pointed out Acorn would not be the only team suffering.

"You see it every year around this time, with people having weddings, stag dos, holidays," he explained.

"Every team in summer rugby league suffers with it. We'll just have to dig deep and I'm pretty sure we can do."

In better news, threequarter Gareth Singleton, who also plays for York RUFC, could soon return to Thanet Road after the end of the rugby union season, and he could bring some Clifton Parkers with him who are keen to have a run in the 13-a-side code.

Paul-Rientoul, nevertheless, is wary the list of unavailable players at first-team level will have a knock-on effect on Acorn 'A's campaign in the Yorkshire Men's League first division.

The second string are yet to get off the mark having lost at Skirlaugh Bulls last time out, a week after their derby defeat to cross-city rivals Heworth - a result which put the Black and Whites top of the table with three wins from three, just ahead of neighbours New Earswick All Blacks.

All three of those York teams are at home on Saturday (2.30pm), with Acorn 'A' facing Norland Sharks, Heworth hosting Mirfield and All Blacks up against Keighley Albion.

In YML division four, York Lokomotive go to West Bowling 'A' looking to build on their victory over Sheffield Hawks in their league opener a fortnight ago.