YORK Acorn boss Dave Kay has urged his side to hit the heights once more as they look to stay on the coat-tails of the National Conference League division two pace-setters.

The Blue and Golds are two points off the leaders with a game in hand, but while they are currently in the winning groove, their form has not been top-notch recently. And task-master Kay wants to see improvements, starting with Saturday's trip to Cottingham Tigers.

He said: "The last few games we've not really played to our potential and we've been asking the players to do that this time, to get back to top form."

The Tigers themselves are only two points behind Acorn, though they reside in the bottom half of what is proving to be a tightly-knit table eight games into the campaign.

"It's not going to be easy, this is always a tricky fixture," said Kay. "These are usually tight affairs, but our last couple of games have been like that and we've come through with wins - last season we would have lost that type of game."

Kay could have a problem at centre as Danny Liddell - brother of new York City Knights signing Jon - has a shoulder injury while natural replacement Paul Day may have work commitments.

Heworth's new-found optimism will come under the microscope as they host mid-table side Ovenden.

The Villagers remain bottom of division two but, following a few shrewd signings, got off the mark in style last week with a 47-10 whalloping of Huddersfield Sharks, and several pundits are not ruling out a rapid rise up the table.

However, Ovenden, who have Hunslet Hawks centre Wes McGibbon in their ranks, will provide a stern test. They may lie in the bottom half, just above Cottingham, but can not be ruled out of the promotion picture yet and last week ran third-placed Waterhead close.

There will be another York-Ovenden clash on Saturday when New Earswick All Blacks visit the West Yorkshire club's 'A' team in Pennine League division two.

All Blacks lie second and will be unsure what to expect against a side who have played, and won, only one league game so far this term.

Heworth 'A' have an early rematch against Featherstone Lions 'A'. The Villagers took the points in the Yorkshire League division three fixture last week as the Lions could not raise a team, but they are due to meet again on Saturday, this time in Featherstone, in the league's Alliance Cup.

Updated: 10:46 Thursday, October 28, 2004