A suspected serious neck injury to captain Lee Frank forced York Acorn's home clash with Hull Dockers to be stopped five minutes before the end.

He was hurt as he set up a try for winger Steven Irving and had to be removed from the field by paramedics.

He was taken to hospital where it was discovered he had suffered torn ligaments in the neck which was not as serious as first thought.

Acorn lost the game 22-6 as Dockers maintained their second division promotion bid.

The York side took the lead after seven minutes with a penalty by centre John Hough before Dockers went in front with a try by impressive second rower Matthew Jeffery.

Stand-off Chris Stephenson extended their lead with a penalty then sliced his way over from 20 yards and converted his own try.

Dockers benefited from a suspect forward pass after 35 minutes as Karl Cowle went over in the corner to make the half-time score 16-2.

Despite good performances from Frank, Hough and Alan Willitts, Dockers continued to hold the upper hand.

They wrapped up the game on 55 minutes when scrum-half Steve Sellars broke through to race 30 yards before sending loose forward Gary Adams on a run to the line. Stephenson again added the extras before Irving's late consolation for Acorn.

* Heworth's home game with Wigan St Judes in the NCL first division was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Elmpark Way.

Updated: 13:17 Monday, March 12, 2001