YORK Acorn ARLC signed off their home campaign in National Conference League division one in fine style with a 24-12 win over table-topping Thornhill Trojans.

In wet conditions, the first-half was more about keeping it tight in attack, while at the same time staying solid and focused in defence.

Errors were aplenty and discipline became an issue in testing circumstances, with both sides getting a warning from the referee about their conduct.

Acorn's pack worked hard to get any quality field position for their team, with excellent contributions coming from top performer second rower/centre Josh Thompson, front rowers Ryan Price and Nathaniel Welsh and acting half-back Barry Gargan - who gave Acorn's attack an experienced eye to see where they need to focus their attack.

The opening score of the first-half came on 25 minutes when prop Price crashed over from close range for an unconverted try to put the hosts 4-0 up.

Thornhill hit back on 37 minutes, when their best player, scrum-half Danny Ratcliffe, produced a double pump dummy show and went around the Acorn left-edge defence and race in from 40 metres to score a try, which loose forward Casey Johnson converted.

Acorn responded right on the stroke of half-time with an Andy Gargan penalty to tie the scores up at 6-6.

The second-half started badly for Acorn when Thornhill prop forward Anthony Harris crashed over for a well-deserved try and with Johnson's conversion - Thornhill had opened up a 12-6 lead.

Far too often Acorn were slow off the floor in defence and this allowed Thornhill to get on a roll, and it looked odds on as if the Trojans were going to take the game away from Acorn any minute now.

To their credit, Acorn refused to buckle and with half-backs, stand-off Lewis Lord and scrum-half Lewis Brown, coming to the fore, Acorn started to string a few passes together and look more threatening with ball in hand.

This was underlined perfectly on 63 minutes, when Lord put impressive centre Rian Calam away on the halfway line and he left a string of defenders on the floor as he oozed class on his way to the try-line. Josh Parker held his nerve to slot over to make it 12- 12.

Acorn then turned the game completely on its head as they broke Thornhill apart with two quick-fire tries that stopped the visitors' resolve in its tracks.

Firstly, on 72 minutes, second rower Reece Rushworth bludgeoned through five would-be tacklers on his destructive way to the try-line for a try, which Parker added the extras, putting Acorn 18-12 in front.

Then, on 78 minutes, quality link passing ended with Lord putting linking full-back Joe Budd in for a try at the side of the posts, which Parker goaled to put Acorn two scores clear. The hosts managed to hang on for the victory.