YORK Acorn's hopes of getting their National Conference League division one campaign off to a winning start were thwarted when they were just beaten 36-30 at one of the sides tipped to get promoted come the end of the season, Pilkington Recs.

While you couldn't fault Acorn's commitment and effort overall, it was several lost balls and uncharacteristic missed tackles especially in the opening 20 minutes along with a lopsided penalty count, that ultimately proved to be their downfall come the final whistle.

Acorn also had to play with only 12 men during the second quarter of the first-half, after having their winger Jake Calam was sin binned for allegedly kicking the ball away and preventing the hosts from taking a quick tap penalty following a 40/20 kick.

These deficiencies contributed to Acorn finding themselves 18-0 by the half-hour mark, by virtue of tries on 10 minutes by second rower Terence Riley, off a pass that looked forward, and by the same player on 20 minutes to which stand-off Kyran Knapper added both conversions.

Acorn gradually started to get a foothold in the contest, but they were undone again on the half-hour mark when Pilk's left centre Cameron Brown went over in the corner for yet another try goaled by Knapper.

Acorns' response came two minutes later, when scrum-half Lewis Brown took an interception in his own 20 metres, before showing a great turn of pace to race in for an important 80-metre try, which stand-off partner Antony Chilton added the extras to - putting the visitors 18-6 down.

On 35 minutes Acorn's fight back was gathering real momentum, when loose forward Reece Rushworth crashed over from close range for a try goaled by Chilton.

Acorn were running hot now and, on 39 minutes, they drew level in bizarre fashion,when first Chilton put a kick into the host's 20, which wasn't dealt with properly by the host's defence and second rower Matthew Woods was on hand to fly hack the loose ball and up popped Rushworth to gather and crash over for their third try in 10 minutes. Chilton's conversion tied the scores up at 18 apiece.

The failings of the opening quarter of the first-half came back to haunt them after the restart when, on 52 minutes, they moved back in front when scrum-half Thomas Connick created the opening for hooker Ryan Liptrot to race in from close range.

Knapper added the extras.

Connick was at it again on 60 minutes, when his footwork allied to his slight of hand created the opening for prop forward Christopher Clayton to charge in for a try which Knapper once again added the goal to - giving Pilk a 30-18 lead.

Acorn's plight up to now hadn't been helped by a number of injuries that saw experienced full-back Joe Budd leave the field with a rib injury that makes him a doubt for next week's Challenge Cup tie.

Others to leave the field with injuries were forward Daryll North, winger Jake Calam, whose move to full-back then saw him being replaced later in that role due to injury by Chilton - who became Acorn's third full-back in the game.

Despite these setbacks, Acorn never gave up and on 70 minutes they pegged Pilk back once more, when a Lewis Lord kick through was grounded just before the dead ball line by Tom Hill and with Chilton goaling.

Unfortunately the next score belonged to the hosts on 76 minutes when loose forward Jamie Smith scrambled over for the match-winning try which Knapper converted to give the hosts breathing space once more.

Acorn once again picked themselves up and, on 78 minutes, a high Chilton bomb was plucked out of the sky, by Acorn's second rower Josh Thompson, who plunked the ball down for Acorn's fifth converted try - thanks to yet another Chilton conversion that saw Acorn just come up short.