Four off in brawl

It was a sour end to a fine victory for the Black and Whites - only their second National Conference division two win of the season and helps ease their re-election worries.

Heworth were bolstered by the return of Jason Gatus for his first game in two years while Lee Clarke did well in a sterling defensive display.

Paddy Handley ran the game from stand-off while centre Phil Musgrave got on top of his opposite number in the centres, the free-scoring Andy Benson.

Musgrave scored two first-half tries and scrum-half Gareth Kirby added another to give Heworth a 12-0 interval lead.

St Maries' narrowed the gap when second row Fiope Polueti went over for a try goaled by Adam Flanagan.

Nikki Wilson then pulled off a magnificent tackle to deny the dangerous Benson. Heworth took strength from that and finished strongly with two penalties from substitute Carl Potter and a Clarke try.

But the match was marred in the closing stages by a brawl which saw Musgrave and his Heworth colleague Wayne Foster red-carded along with visiting duo Kevin Buck and Dave Ruane.

York Acorn ARL Club emphasised their promotion credentials with a 34-12 victory at Ovenden.

The Blue and Golds are now in second place in National Conference division two, four points adrift of leaders Eastmoor Dragons but with a game in hand.

Acorn were helped when Ovenden's Lee Slater and David Fawcett were sent off in the space of four minutes just before the interval.

However, Acorn already led 18-8 at that stage after Mick Hagan and Johnny Waldron had scored tries with Kevin Brundrett kicking five goals.

All Ovenden had to show for their efforts were tries by Chris Hartley and Matthew Turner.

The 11 men did add another touchdown through Lee Child but as expected Acorn dominated proceedings with Waldron, Andy Gargan and Andy Lee adding further tries. The accurate Brundrett finished with a tally of seven goals.

Updated: 15:04 Monday, December 06, 2004