YORK Acorn duo Adam Endersby and Johnny Waldron have been called up to the BARLA Great Britain open age squad.

The call-up makes them the first Acorn players to earn full BARLA Great Britain honours since Darren Callaghan's 1999 appearances and comes just days after battling with a full-strength Hull KR in the third round of the Powergen Challenge Cup.

With the club's biggest ever fixture - and the resultant hangovers - now behind them, the focus is again back on the league with Thatto Heath Crusaders the target away from home.

Promotion hopes are now stretched almost beyond the realms of possibility with a stack-up of fixtures likely to trip up the Acorn dreams, and the coaching staff will instead have one eye on next season.

Members of the Under-18s and the 'A' team who have almost caught they eye during the season may well find themselves in the thick of National Conference division one action in the coming weeks.

Joint head-coach Paul Lumby said: "Everyone knows that they can't get complacent and we want them to get their feet back on the ground as well.

"There's still lots to play for and they need to keep playing well to keep their places."

Tenacious centre Gareth Lloyd could be out for the rest of the season after aggravating a shoulder injury against Hull KR that may require surgery.

Lee McTigue, who described last Sunday's 62-1 defeat as "the kind of game where team spirit counts for everything" misses the trip to Thatto because of work commitments, leaving the door open for Peter Wallace, who volunteered as 18th man on Sunday.

Kyle Palmer is also in contention for a shirt for the first time since injuring a shoulder last year.

Heworth will lock horns at fellow re-election stragglers Egremont Rangers in

a clash that could put the Villagers half way to safety.

Coach Jimmy Rothwell believes that four more points will ensure easy passage into another year in division two and a four-pointer over Rangers will be a massive boost.

He said: "It's a must-win game for us. If we play like we did last week, I think we will be okay."

Star half back Ben Jones may be forced to sit out New Earswick All Blacks' Pennine League division one game at home to Park Amateurs with a shoulder problem.

The influential scrum-half has been carrying a strain for several weeks and will have to pass a fitness test to make it into a jersey come Saturday.

If he doesn't quite make the grade, Carl Pallister will be shuffled into the half backs and Liam Gargan, himself struggling with a slight back strain, will also be shifted into the equation.

But whoever fills the shoes of Jones - if needed - should be up to speed pretty quickly.

Said coach Simon Baynes: "When you get a lot of people training they can all fit into the roles because they know the moves and the calls. If they are not there, you have to go through everything with them.

"Rugby's not just about turning up and playing - you have to do your homework first."

Centre cum second row Sam Wellard returns after a week away.

Updated: 11:02 Thursday, March 16, 2006