Kingstone Press National Conference League Division One: Lock Lane 18 York Acorn 42

YORK Acorn's end-of-season play-off push gained real momentum as they stormed to another emphatic win, crushing highly-rated Lock Lane in Castleford.

Acorn's win keeps them fourth – a position that would give them a home tie – at least three points clear of a group of teams, including the vanquished hosts, with just four games to play.

The visitors' attacking play was breathtaking at times, with the architects in chief being scrum half Lewis Brown, who was man of the match, and stand-off Lewis Lord, with their partnership constantly putting the hosts on the back foot.

Willing runners such as Brandon Harris, Chris Fox, Elliott Bulmer, Matty Downes and Tim Stubbs benefited from their creative play.

Goal-kicking full back Matthew Chilton was equally elusive, registering 18 points from two tries and five goals.

Acorn hit the lead on eight minutes when quick pivot play between Lord and Brown ended with the outstanding Chilton sending winger Jack Stewart over for a try out wide to which Chilton added an excellent conversion.

The hosts drew level on 15 minutes as a result of Acorn's poor completion rate – at that stage of the game – with Lock Lane enjoying plenty of on-line possession, scrum half Connor Land eventually going in under the posts for a try that he converted himself.

Acorn regained the lead on 20 minutes when a wonderful attacking kick on the move by loose forward Tim Elliott was pounced on in the home side's in-goal area by Harris for a try converted by Chilton to give Acorn a 12-6 advantage.

Chilton then produced a brilliant piece of individualism to side step and weave his way over from 20 yards out for an unconverted score.

On 29 minutes, Acorn produced more free-flowing attacking play involving Lord and Brown, with the latter creating a huge gap for Harris to storm over unopposed.

Chilton's goal made it 22-6, but against the run of play, Acorn were harshly penalised for ripping, and within two minutes the hosts had cut the visitors' lead to 22-12 with a converted score of their own.

However, Acorn once again showed great resolve to bounce straight back with the next score on the stroke of half-time, when Brown attacked the Lock Lane right-edge defence and sent Ryan Gallacher over for his customary try to put Acorn into a 26-12 interval lead.

The second half wasn't as fluent for Acorn, and they would have had more points with a bit more cohesion with ball in hand.

Still they did manage to notch more points, beginning on 56 minutes when Chilton scored his second excellent individual try in which he went off both feet before straightening up and going in under the posts.

His conversion moved Acorn into a 32-12 advantage, and Acorn's next score came eight minutes later when substitute prop Stubbs crashed over from close range for a try which Chilton turned into a six-pointer.

In the 70th minute, Acorn once again passed the 40-point mark when more attacking approach play from Lord and Brown set up the position for Gallacher to do what he does best – switch the jinking burners on and eventually finish with aplomb out wide to make it 42-12.

The final score came to the hosts on 72 minutes when an error by Acorn from the kick-off allowed Lock Lane to gain a foothold in the visitors' half.

Several plays later, the hosts scored a scrambled converted try out wide.