JACK CARLING bagged an unlikely point for New Earswick All Blacks ARLC in their battle to beat the drop - thanks to a try in the last play of their midweek match.

Carling's effort, plus the conversion by Tom Barron, gave All Blacks, bottom of the Yorkshire Men's League premier division, a 16-16 draw at play-off chasing Siddal 'A'.

They remained at the foot of the table but now only one point behind two teams above them, ahead of tomorrow's visit of unbeaten leaders Batley Boys. Three games remain thereafter, including four-pointers against both relegation rivals.

All Blacks had travelled with a depleted squad to Halifax knowing any kind of positive result would be a bonus.

Player-boss Stearman said: "I'm really happy with a point. It was a tough one - an away match on a midweek night against a team looking upwards.

"They scored with two minutes to go but we still battled back to get a draw."

Carling, who was man of the match playing at loose-forward in All Blacks' narrow loss to title-chasing Bentley last Saturday, this time started at hooker.

He gave his team the lead with an unconverted and, although, Siddal equalised, the York outfit eked ahead on the half-time whistle thanks to a penalty goal by Danny Byworth.

The writing seemed on the wall for All Blacks immediately after the resumption as Siddal went 10-6 ahead with a converted try.

However, a try by prop forward Stearman brought the scores level again.

The home team thought they had won it with a converted try as the clock ticked down, but then came Carling's last-gasp leveller.

Joe Hudson was named All Blacks' man of the match at loose-forward, with Carling and Stearman also standing out.

Hudson, however, is now unavailable for tomorrow's game against Batley, as is Matt Cannon.

Meanwhile, York Acorn 'A's good run in YML division one came to an end with a 26-10 midweek defeat at Cutsyke Raiders.

The Blue and Golds had won four games on the bounce to get out of the drop zone after a poor start to term. They remain third bottom.