YORK Acorn bounced back from defeat to Hull Dockers with a gritty 13-6 victory at previously unbeaten Beverley.

Acorn now jointly lead National Conference League group 'G'.

The York side took the lead early when a pin-point Matt Chilton kick off was taken dead by a Beverley forward, providing good field position for Ash Robson to ghost through two would-be tacklers in centre field and dot down under the sticks. Chilton converted.

The game went into an arm wrestle, with neither team budging for the next 20 minutes.

Beverley’s pack was impressive and were giving as good as they got while Alfie Hart-Fisher provided great punch from the bench in his second game of league. That momentum was enough to cause a break in the Acorn line, with the impressive Jack Howdle coming onto a crash ball at the line and diving under the sticks after two repeat sets. The conversion was added to make it 6-6.

Acorn started the second half strongly, the evergreen Adam Endersby and Toby Woodall setting a great platform to play off. The tightness of the pitch made chances a premium but a couple of half breaks from Lewis Lord meant that Acorn played the majority of the second half in the right area.

Good approach play by Jordan Myers, who was back in the side for the first time in three seasons, put Acorn on the front foot and another cross-field kick to the right edge from Chilton was collected by Gallacher, who fought off three defenders to force his way over, making it 12-6 after Chilton's conversion.

Strong running from 2021 debutant Luke Swales put Acorn in another promising position and an exact copy of the play they scored the second try was attempted, this time Matt Chilton leaping the highest to score but, after a lengthy discussion, the try was contentiously disallowed. Post-game video evidence suggested he was a good way onside.

With six minutes remaining on the clock, Acorn shaped to be playing a wide spread and Antony Chilton fooled everyone by calmly dropping a one- pointer from 25 metres out with minimal pressure.

Acorn are at West Hull next week.