YORK Acorn ARLC are hopeful that having a full complement of players available will help them get their own back on a “boring” Leigh Miners Rangers on Saturday.

National Conference League division one high-fliers Leigh came out on top in the last meeting between the sides by a narrow 40-34 margin last month at Thanet Road, with Acorn's head coach Leigh Paul-Rientoul criticising them for their safe passages of play.

And while Paul-Rientoul has admitted the Blue and Golds’ repeated mistakes were partially to blame for the defeat, the larger issue was that they had the equivalent of a whole team absent through various commitments.

He said: “We had 13 unavailable last time but now they’re all pretty much available. Hopefully this week we can put a decent side out and be good to go.

“When we played at our place, Leigh were playing pretty much boring rugby. I think they’ll be doing really simple plays again (on Saturday).

“The effort’s there but we just keep doing the same things wrong. We didn’t have our best side out, but I think, with having a better side this time round, we’ll do better.”

Some “big” team news, says Paul-Rientoul, is the temporary return of former Acorn man Arron Thompson who now lives in Australia but will be in York for seven to eight weeks and who Paul-Rientoul is hopeful will be willing to lend a hand.

In the Yorkshire Men’s League premier division, New Earswick All Blacks are looking forward to getting back to action after going almost a month without a game as they gear up for a trip to fourth-placed Nottingham Outlaws.

Bottom side All Blacks have not had an easy start to life in the top tier, with their heavy 52-6 defeat at Bramley Buffaloes on June 2 coming as their fifth of six this term – but head coach Jack Stearman insists they are still enjoying it.

He said: “We’re pretty eager to get back. June is a tough month with holidays and injuries. It’s been a much-needed rest, but the players are really keen to get back on the pitch.

“I think it will have a positive effect. We’re still a week or two away with injury but that gives some of the younger lads an opportunity to stake a claim for the back end of the season.

“We’re still enjoying playing games. That’s why we do it. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing or where you’re playing, it’s just about playing rugby league with your mates.

“We’ve still got a paper-thin squad with seven missing but the lads (who are playing) have got enough quality to get a result.

“It’s a tough journey to Nottingham and not an easy one for people to attend, but we’ll hopefully pick up the two points.

“If we play to the best of our ability, there’s no reason why we can’t."

Among the absentees are Jack Carling and Tom Hields.

Heworth, flying high in second place in division one, host fourth-placed Cutsyke Raiders on Saturday. Second-bottom York Acorn ‘A’, meanwhile, face an important home game against fellow strugglers Skirlaugh Bulls on Friday night.

York Lokomotive have the chance on Saturday to consolidate third spot in division three when they host fourth-placed Scarborough Pirates.