New Earswick All Blacks seemed to have their minds on their forthcoming Silk Cut Challenge Cup tie as they were comprehensively beaten 44-6 at home to Crosfields.

The Warrington-based side were in superb form and thoroughly deserved their win which takes them up to fourth in the National Conference League second division.

All Blacks spokesman Charles Rollinson tipped Crosfields for promotion and said: "They are the best team I've seen down here for a couple of years."

However, he admitted the All Blacks did not appear to be fully focused with their Challenge Cup tie against Swinton Lions just a fortnight away.

"I think it's a affecting our league form because everyone's got it on their mind," explained Rollinson.

"When it's over with hopefully we can start getting back to basics because we've got five crunch games coming up."

The All Blacks were never in the running against Crosfields who had the game wrapped up by half-time when they led 22-0. Ironically it was a former Swinton player, forward Andy Pucill, who was the star of the show for the visitors as he constantly slipped the ball out of the tackle to release the willing support players.

Another player to make a major impact was winger Ian Hannon. He raced in for a hat-trick of tries which included a 75 metre effort, while scrum-half Dave Gibbons managed a brace.

The highlight for New Earswick was a fine individual try by Mick Harrison after he had dodged his way round three tacklers.

Carl Pallister added the conversion but at 34-6 it made no difference to the final result.

All Blacks' misery was compounded three minutes from time when Martin McTigue was sent off for throwing punch. The only good news is that the disciplinary hearing is not expected to come up until after the Cup tie to he should be free to face Swinton.

Former Wigan and Hull FC scrum-half Craig Murdock played a leading role in Cottingham Tigers 22-10 victory over York Acorn.

It was Acorn's sixth successive league defeat and they have now slipped to seventh in the NCL second division table.

Also in good form for the Tigers was centre John Stabler, son of the former York Wasps chairman of the same name.

He combined with Murdock to score the opening try after four minutes. Murdock put winger Phil Musgrove in for the second and then it was Murdock and Stabler who linked up to set-up Musgrove for his brace.

Tim Alcock managed to get over the tryline for Acorn before half-time to make the interval score 14-4.

Acorn were right back in it when Johnny Waldron raced in for a try three minutes after the restart and John Hough goaled to pull it back to 14-10.

However, the Tigers edged further ahead with a Sam Wray penalty before Stabler arced his way through for his second try, which Wray converted.

Updated: 12:29 Monday, January 15, 2001