YORK Acorn ARLC ran up their biggest win of the season to send visitors Askam tumbling downwards.

The Blue and Golds' 72-0 triumph at Thanet Road not only kept up their slim hopes of promotion from National Conference division one but also confirmed the Cumbrians' relegation.

Acorn scored 14 tries and it comes as no surprise that prolific winger Johnny Waldron led the way with five of them.

The victory keeps Acorn in touch with the leaders, though results elsewhere mean they still need to win all four of their games in hand to get on level terms with the teams currently in the promotion zone.

Joint-coach Alfie Hill knows it is a tough ask given the frequency of their games in the next few weeks - starting on Wednesday at Castleford Lock Lane - but must be delighted with the way his side will head into the fixture backlog.

Little flyer Waldron opened the scoring on Saturday after just three minutes and Alan Willitts got a second three minutes later. After a brief respite, Waldron sprinted in for the third and the floodgates then opened as Askam realised their fate was already sealed and fell away.

One of the Cumbrian side's four league wins this season had been at home to Acorn in October but that was well and truly avenged as Acorn scrum-half Andy Gargan, Willitts again and Mike Embleton all crossed before the break for a 30-0 half-time lead.

The second half ended in a procession of tries. Kyle Palmer got two touchdowns, fellow youngster Tom Hill one and Waldron grabbed a second-half hat-trick to complete his nap hand.

Andy Lee and Steve Irving completed the try tally, while Hill booted six conversions and Gargan and Lee one apiece.

Updated: 10:07 Monday, April 03, 2006