YORK Acorn ARLC still have their destiny in their own hands - and boss Dave Kay wants to keep it that way.

The Blue and Golds slipped to fourth in National Conference division two last week with a surprise 18-12 loss to Stanningley, but they are level on points with the two teams above them in the race for automatic promotion.

And with the way the fixture list has fallen, Acorn will be sure of promotion if they take maximum points in the run-in.

"Our future is still in our hands and we want to keep that in our horizons," said Kay. "We don't want to be in a position where we're relying on others to do us favours."

Talking of favours, victory at Huddersfield Sharks on Saturday will be a big help to Acorn's neighbours Heworth - not in action this weekend - in their battle to escape the re-election zone, the Sharks lying one place above them.

Kay said: "We're not thinking about doing anybody else favours. If it does help Heworth I'll be pleased for them but we only want to do favours for ourselves.

"We're not taking Huddersfield lightly. They gave us a tough game at our place and it's usually difficult against them."

He added: "We were a bit disappointed last week, mainly with the first-half when we trailed 18-0. We're obviously quite pleased with the second half when with 12 men we did everything but win. It was a big blow to lose but there's still 11 games to go and everyone has to play everyone else."

Acorn, however, have a "big hole to fill" at full-back following Kev Brundrett's horrific injury last week. He has since had his broken leg and dislocated ankle operated on, but will be out for the season.

Kay said: "It's a big blow. He was our goalkicking ace and was also playing well."

Dan Liddell will get the number one shirt. Kay added: "He's a quality attacking player and he's come on for Kev once or twice."

Pace ace Johnny Waldron suffered a slight dead leg but should be okay, but Lee McTigue is a bigger doubt. The prop suffered a broken nose last week in an incident, an alleged head butt, which sparked his retaliation and consequential red card. He has yet to have his disciplinary hearing for that sending-off.

Updated: 11:07 Thursday, February 03, 2005