YORK Acorn embark on a run of three consecutive league games away from home on Saturday, with boss Dave Kay fully aware of their importance.

The Blue and Golds firstly visit Ovenden, then come Waterhead and, in the first game back after new year, current leaders Eastmoor.

And Kay knows if his second-placed team come out the other side with some kind of reward, they could be in a strong position for the National Conference division two run-in.

He said: "The next three league games are all away and if we can get something out of all three it leaves us with a lot of home games after Christmas and in a good position."

Looking ahead to this weekend, Kay added: "We played Ovenden at home in the first game of the season and beat them about 50-10, but that was their first game back in the Conference and they seem to have turned things around since then and have won seven out of 12. They're going well, especially at home, so it's not going to be easy."

Kay will nevertheless employ squad rotation of sorts as he has one eye on next week's GMB Union National Cup match at home to top Cumber-land League team Kells.

Captain Lee Franks and prop Lee McTigue return on Saturday but, with a few players carrying knocks and others unavailable next week, Kay might decide to rest one or two in readiness for that cup clash.

Heworth had initially been scheduled as Acorn's opponents in the first game back after the festive break, but the fixture list has since been amended.

Updated: 10:39 Thursday, December 02, 2004