YORK Acorn ARL Club will be hoping to take another step towards their promotion goal on Saturday.

Third-placed Acorn have developed into genuine National Conference division two title contenders and have a game in hand on the top two - Eastmoor Dragons and Ince Rosebridge.

First they have to dispose of mid-table Stanningley at Thanet Road and should be fresh for the challenge after having a free Saturday last week.

At the other end of the table, struggling Heworth play their first league game of the year when they head to Normanton Knights.

They hope to have scrum-half Paddy Handley back after being out for a couple of weeks with a foot injury.

Luke Judson returns after being unavailable for the National Cup defeat at Thatto Heath and Phil Musgrave has served his two-match ban.

It is not a game the Villagers would be expected to win but the following week they have higher hopes when they entertain Huddersfield Sharks, the team immediately above them.

Updated: 10:47 Thursday, January 27, 2005