ACOMB Hockey Club Men I suffered their second Yorkshire League division two defeat in as many weeks as they fell 3-1 at home to third-placed Harrogate III.

Knowing that a point would secure their status in the division for another year, Acomb matched their visitors in an even opening 20 minutes.

However, in the next quarter of an hour, the visitors took a two-goal lead with strikes at the end of a good team passing move and from a penalty corner.

Nick Linfoot pulled one back with five minutes to go before the break with a fierce drive into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

The Tangerines opened the second period on top thanks, in part, to Carl Brindley's tireless work in midfield, and Tom Brown had an excellent chance to level, but lifted over the prone keeper and wide of the target with Matt Dickenson waiting in support.

James Graham Brown was influential in linking up with the Acomb forwards, but they were held at bay by the secure Harrogate defence, and the tangerine resolve was dented when the visitors netted from a penalty corner with 10 minutes remaining.

Harrogate were reduced to 10 players for the final five minutes but Acomb could not find a way to draw closer.

Despite this, other results went Acomb's way and they will be playing in division two next season.

Acomb Men II moved up to second in division five north as Boston Spa IV conceded and gifted them a 3-0 win.

Acomb Ladies remain third in division one following a double-header against the sides directly above and below them, with their 5-2 home win over Driffield II being followed by 3-1 defeat at Halifax II.

Kerry Woods gave the Tangerines an early lead at home with a penalty corner, but Driffield drew level with one of their own 15 minutes before the break. The pattern repeated on the stroke of half-time as another Woods penalty corner was cancelled out by a Driffield set piece.

The second half was a different affair, with Keira Woods netting from close range from Hannah Yoward's ball in the second minute before the pair linked up again for Woods to net from Yoward's pass.

Defenders Jane Elsworth and Eva Coulson kept the visiting attack quiet, while Georgi Wood was spreading the ball well around midfield, eventually resulting in the ever-threatening Vicky Wrigley netting the fifth.

At Halifax, the Tangerines had to control a side who had scored 17 goals in their previous four games, while Yoward and skipper Woods pose problems on the counter-attack.

The hosts drew first blood before Yoward levelled with a neat sweep, but the hosts restored their lead just before the break as the game became fractious with tackles flying in.

A green card for each side settled matters before the hosts struck again.