YORK Acorn women's rugby league team have been pipped in their first trophy tilt -- but hope to make amends in the league.

Acorn met Ince Rosebridge in the Women's Challenge Cup Plate Final hoping to regain a trophy they won 13 years ago.

However, they went down 22-8 at Featherstone's Lionheart Stadium to the 2003 competition finalists.

Winger Carly Hilton was the star for Acorn with two tries, while centre Jenny Garwood impressed, but they were overrun by a side led by a strong pack which set the platform for tries by hooker Diane Shingler (2), scrum-half Debbie Makin (2) and centre Katie Bolton.

Acorn rugby secretary Gill Blackburn, who is also girls' development chief, said: "It was a good performance but we made too many silly mistakes like dropping the ball on the first or second tackle. We did not complete our sets which let us down. It might have been a bit of nerves affecting some."

Acorn had been placed in the Plate competition after being knocked out of the main Challenge Cup competition in the quarter-finals by Wakefield Panthers, who went on to beat Bradford Thunderbirds in the main final.

However, they now hope to turn runners-up disappointment into top spot triumph in the league.

Acorn currently lie second in the first division of the National Women's League, two points behind Warrington side Bank Quay with four games to go.

Top spot is likely to bring promotion to the premier division -- depending on applications to join the league -- and overturning that two-point deficit is not beyond them.

Blackburn said: "They need to slip up but we are confident we'll win our games and so have a good chance."

The Acorn team in the cup final was: Tasha Armitage, Carly Hilton, Jenny Garwood, Jacquie Edhouse, Lean Bell, Kay Rollinson, (player-coach) Michaela Hirst, Amanda Wrigglesworth, Donna Parker, Lisa Marshall, Bev Langan, Nicolette Postlethwaite, Toyah Palmer. Subs: Donna Rowan, Pauline Evans, Kate Johnson, Sasha Hilton.

Updated: 09:19 Saturday, April 09, 2005