HEWORTH ARLC's promotion challenge in Kingstone Press National Conference League division three ended in bitter disappointment in the play-off final.

The Villagers, who were second best on the day, lost 30-16 to Dewsbury Celtic in front of a big crowd at Elmpark Way.

After trailing 10-6 at the break after a close-fought first half, visitors Dewsbury changed the whole course of the game by posting four tries in a devastating 14-minute period at the start of the second half and ensuring there was no way back for the hosts.

The opening quarter-of-an-hour produced a strong defensive effort by both sides as they fought for supremacy.

Heworth gained the ascendancy on 19 minutes when winger Jake Atkinson was tackled close to the line in the right corner and, from the resulting play-the-ball, centre George Elliott dived over direct from acting half for an unconverted try.

Three minutes later, a towering bomb by stand-off James Morland was allowed to bounce by the visitors' defence and second-rower Liam Watling gathered the ball to feed scrum-half Liam Jackson. He handed on to Morland to cross close to the posts for Elliott to add the extras for a 10-0 lead.

Celtic got got themselves back into the match on 37 minutes with a try by full-back Paul Foulstone goaled by stand-off George Senior to reduce the deficit to four points at the break.

It looked like a tight finish was on the cards but the visitors had other ideas and came out firing in the second period to shock the Villagers with a four-try salvo between the 42nd and 56th minutes, virtually ending the game as a contest.

Foulstone was first over the line, followed by centre Jermaine Akaidere and George Senior. Akaidere added a second and three Senior conversions made it 28-10.

Heworth toiled manfully to claw their way back and gave themselves a glimmer of hope on the half-hour mark when a good passing movement led to winger Billy Sturdy touching down in the left corner.

Elliott missed the conversion but slotted a penalty goal immediately afterwards for foul play by the visitors after the try was scored.

It was not to be, however, and Senior added a late penalty goal to put the icing on the cake and send the jubilant visitors up into division two next season.

Loose-forward Ben Dyson-Dent and prop Joe Deighton were the stand-out performers for the Villagers.