Heworth finally got off the mark in the Arriva Trains Conference division two as they won the basement battle against Millom 28-18 at Elm Park Way.

An even first half ended 10-10 and the game remained tight until ten minutes from time when Heworth built a 12-point lead that was soon upped to 16.

The Cumbrians took the lead with a try by stand-off Paul Evans, with opposite number Carl Potter equalising with two penalties.

Heworth full-back Kenny Embleton then sliced through, Potter goaling, just before half-time, but Millom levelled on the stroke of the break when Antony Dixon picked up a loose pass and raced the length of the field, Evans goaling.

Prop Will Neary and centre Nathan Witty were impressive for the home team and the game swung their way on the hour-mark when man of the match Potter booted another penalty, followed soon after by Embleton's second touchdown after he was put through by Sam Clarke.

Evans pulled two points back but the game was put further out of Millom's reach with ten minutes remaining when Potter crossed from close range and added the conversion.

And the game was then effectively finished when winger Mark Watkinson raced in, meaning that Millom's final try, scored by Andrew Jackson and goaled by Evans, was mere consolation.

Heworth spokesman Ken Sykes said: "We did not play as well as at Huddersfield last week but we won and got off the mark."

York Acorn were beaten 38-14 at league leaders Castleford Panthers.

Any hopes Acorn had of victory went out of the window in the 14th minute when prop Lee McTigue was sent off for giving Panthers' former New Earswick All Blacks prop, Wayne Garwood, a retaliatory head butt.

At that point Acorn were trailing 10-0, despite looking the better side early on.

The hosts' first try came on two minutes as a result of a wicked bounce that fell short of the defence and into the hands of the kicker, scrum-half Kevin Till, who also added the extras.

They soon increased the lead to ten points and by the half hour, despite plenty of hard work by Acorn, it was 14-0.

To their credit, Acorn did not throw the towel in and on the stroke of half-time got some reward when their best player, second-rower Nicky Caldwell, crashed over for a try converted by full-back Kev Brundrett to make it 14-6 at the break.

Soon after the restart it was 18-6, but on 50 minutes Caldwell put winger Jon Waldron over to cut the deficit.

Acorn's overworked and outnumbered defence was soon breached again and, by 70 minutes, Cas had crossed for three more tries as a tired Acorn defence were getting caught out.

Acorn's biggest failing was not wrapping up man and ball in the tackle and the one player who benefited most was acting-half Luke Varley, who shipped the ball into space on numerous times. Acorn at least had the final say when Waldron nipped in for his second try.

Caldwell, Michael Embleton and Lee Frank worked tremendously hard in difficult circumstances.

Updated: 10:15 Monday, October 06, 2003