YORK Acorn produced an impressive second-half display to overpower Normanton Knights 46-18 after only holding a two-point lead at half-time.

The first half proved to be a keenly-fought encounter, with the majority of Normanton's better moments coming off the back of Acorn indiscipline – allowing the hosts to be piggy-backed up the park on a number of occasions.

The visitors opened the scoring on four minutes when good approach play by forwards Tim Stubbs and Tom Hill set up the position for Acorn's man-of-the-match Jordan Potter to send winger Ryan Gallacher over in the corner for an unconverted try.

Normanton hit back almost immediately when their full back, Joe Crossland, twisted his way free of two would-be try line tacklers to score an unconverted try of their own and tie the scores up.

The increasing penalty count aided Normanton greatly, starting on 14 minutes with a penalty goal by their scrum half Mark Chester that nudged his side into a 6-4 lead.

Soon after, Normanton took advantage of an Acorn handling error from a drop out, which was compounded by two missed tackles in their own 20. That allowed Knights prop forward Oliver Wood to escape their clutches and score a try which Chester converted to put the hosts 12-4 in front.

Finally, just past the half hour mark Acorn produced their first passage of quality passing rugby league. Fluent passing involving their three-quarters saw impressive teenage full back Josh Parker put Potter in for a momentum-changing unconverted try.

On 35 minutes, the away side took the lead when great carries by Gallacher and Woods saw the latter score a try goaled by Anthony Chilton.

Acorn increased that advantage at the start of the second half when Chilton produced his famous reverse kick close to the Normanton try line and Parker was on hand to score another try. Chilton added the extras to put the Blue and Golds 20-12 in front.

A flourish of yellow cards saw Normanton reduced to 11 men, while Acorn were down to 12 men following the sin-binning of their powerful substitute forward Jensen Okhovat.

The York side produced another quality attacking moment when scrum half Lewis Brown combined brilliantly with prop forward Hill before Hill returned the pass to send Brown in under the posts for a Chilton goaled try.

Normanton hit back on 56 minutes, though. Acorn made an error when trying to allow a ball to go dead in their in-goal area and stand off Thomas Alexander took full advantage to score a try goaled by Chester, cutting the visitors' lead to 26-18.

Minutes later, Acorn silenced the vociferous home crowd with a 58th minute unconverted try from powerhouse winger Ben Tenge following quality passing play involving Brown and Parker.

Acorn then broke free and notched three more impressive tries, starting on 64 minutes when Nick Speck combined with Brown and Chilton before the final pass found its way into the hands of Gallacher, who scored a Chilton goaled try.

On 70 minutes, winger Tenge outsprinted the Normanton cover for an unconverted try that saw Acorn stretch their lead to 40-18.

The away side wrapped up the scoring on 75 minutes when they capitalised on a dropped bomb close to the Knights try line. Woods picked up the loose ball before going in for a try goaled by Chilton that saw Acorn finish on the right side of an 46-18 scoreline.

York's pack laid the foundations for the win with good stints coming from props Stubbs and Okhovat, hookers Speck and Lord, and second rowers Jordan Hyde and Tom Holder – with the latter two impressing in defence along with Rushworth.