YORK Acorn will be aiming to book their place in the next round of the Coral Challenge Cup when they host Barrow Island in round two of the competition tomorrow (1:30pm kick-off).

Acorn secured their progression from round one just under a fortnight ago when they breezed past London-based club Hammersmith Hills Hoists 36-14 at Thanet Road.

The National Conference League premier division club have progressed to the third round of the prestigious competition just twice in the past seven seasons.

But Acorn find themselves as favourites to progress tomorrow as they take on a Barrow outfit who sit in division two of the NCL.

Acorn's opponents, Barrow Island, finished fifth in the division two last term, with their season finishing with a play-offs defeat to Hull Dockers.

But their 84-6 victory over Rhondda Outlaws was the biggest of round one and Acorn head coach Josh Mortimer was aware of the threat that the Cumbrians will pose.

"We're very wary of what Barrow will offer," said Mortimer.

"They're a good team, a well-drilled side with good strike in the outside backs and aggressive forwards who lay the platform for them.

"To beat the Outlaws 84-6 is really impressive and you don't usually see victories of those side in winter conditions.

"So we know that we certainly can't underestimate them or take them lightly, if we are to get the win.

"We're still six weeks away from our league season starting, so we're not anyway near where we need to be, but we're working towards that.

"We were only three weeks into our pre-season when we played Hammersmith, so we can't be overly disappointed with that performance.

"It was our first game and we were rusty and bombed some points.

"This weekend we'll be expected to win and we should beat Barrow.

"But it won't be a formality by any means and it certainly won't be easy.

"If we play like we did against Hammersmith against Barrow, then they will do a job on us."

Elsewhere at Acorn, half-back Lewis Brown and full-back Josh Parker have been on trial at York City Knights since November.

Brown has featured in the Knights' last two pre-season matches against Featherstone and Halifax, though a knee injury has prevented Parker from featuring in the warm-up matches.

On Brown, Mortimer added: "Lewis is a brilliant young half-back in my opinion and we're sometimes guilty of forgetting just how young he is.

"He's only 20-years-old and it's easy to think that he's a lot older.

"He's a really nice lad too and I think sometimes he under-rates his own ability and doesn't back himself enough.

"As a player, you do need to have that bit of arrogance and swagger but I think that that will come with age for Lewis."