Heworth are on a high.

Their 43-2 hammering of city rivals York Acorn on Saturday was their biggest win of an impressive season and it was the first time in two years they had conceded no tries.

Acorn were always going to be underdogs but few in the big crowd at Elm Park Way could have expec-ted such a one-sided scoreline.

Heworth were simply better - better handling, better passing, better angles, better discipline and better power. It was their best display of the season, surpassing the win at title favou-rites Wath Brow.

The Blue and Golds were restricted to one goal, scored on five minutes by Kev Brundrett after Heworth's Steve Barnard was adjudged to have laid on in the tackle, seconds after Brendan Carlyle had dropped a restart.

Barnard and Carlyle were to make amends in stunning fashion. Loose-forward Barnard, set to play for Yorkshire against the Aus-tralian Aboriginals, scored a devastating hat-trick in a man-of-the-match display, while Carlyle was otherwise at his mercurial best.

Acorn showed the odd glimpse in attack, mainly through stand-off Danny Liddell, while prop Paul Dodsworth also did his bit. But they never threatened for any length of time and Liddell let his frustration get the better of him, being sent off late on for punching.

Barnard had set the tone in the third minute, his great run preceding a penalty for ripping the ball out, which Carl Potter kicked for the first of his nine goals including all six conversions.

Acorn got their equaliser immediately but Heworth responded in kind, the impressive Potter goaling a penalty for offside.

Heworth's first try soon followed, Barnard hitting on to a fine short pass to charge through and give the scoring pass to Jason Kane.

Another wonderful Barnard break gave Kenny Embleton the chance to send his winger over but he held on and Heworth were swallowed up.

Embleton, making his first-team debut after his switch from Acorn, was probably desperate to get on the scoresheet and, although it didn't come, he was to have his moment later.

Carlyle set up Heworth's next try, making yards then feeding Nathan Witty, who dummied and beat the cover.

Potter's 100 per cent success rate ended with a 25-yard penalty attempt, but he was back on target to goal Barnard's first try after the loose-forward had taken a short pass on the burst.

Potter dropped a goal soon after half-time and then came Emble-ton's moment. A three-man tackle saw a hand connect with his face, he reacted and a brawl followed. After the teams were parted, the psyched-up centre demanded the ball from the tap penalty and char-ged into another three-man tackle.

Acorn did not back off but a lack of discipline gave Heworth another penalty and the upper hand. Potter missed but another sharp pass soon saw Barnard burst through and round the full-back.

This score seemed to quell whatever Acorn fire there was.

Crazy handling by Acorn's defence saw Barnard get his hat-trick, then Carlyle and Wayne Foster set up Gavin Grant. Liddell was then sent off and Potter kicked the last points from the penalty.

Heworth also had a try in either half ruled out. The first, by Will Neary, would have been the best of the match, the ball having gone through several hands, while the second saw Grant apparently win the race to a Potter kick.

The fact they were ruled out will be of little consolation to Acorn.

Updated: 12:04 Monday, October 28, 2002