York Acorn cleared the first hurdle in the GMB Union National Cup with a 30-12 win at Yorkshire League premier division outfit Dewsbury Celtic.

It may not have been Acorn's most fluent showing of the season and at times they were guilty of making unforced errors which restricted them to only 30 points, but generally the York side were never in any real danger of losing what on paper was a possible banana skin tie.

The Blue and Golds' young guns shone brightly enough to quell any thoughts their hosts may have had of taking a National Conference League scalp.

Their reward is a difficult away clash at Cumbrian giants Kells, this season's beaten Jennings Cumbrian Cup finalists, in the second round.

The early stages were played in typical cup-tie fashion as both Celtic and Acorn tried to stamp their authority on the game, and it was Acorn who made the breakthrough when full-back Kevin Brundrett slotted over a 13th-minute penalty.

Then the Acorn's young backs came to the fore and fluent passing along the threequarters saw centre Paul Day go over, Brundrett goaling.

The vocal home crowd quietened and things got even better for the visitors when young scrum-half Dean Kilbride weaved his way past several would-be tacklers before clicking the burners on and racing 80 yards to score a wonderful try, Brundrett goaling.

The hosts hit back on 25 minutes courtesy of a try out wide for Mark Brierley, the 14-4 scoreline standing until after half-time.

Acorn, having been with the slope in the first half, made a good start playing uphill in the second and on 55 minutes Day crossed for his second try of the game.

Bundrett was unsuccessful with the conversion attempt - his first miss in 18 consecutive attempts.

Teenage stand-off Johnny Waldron showed a clean pair of heels to cross for a try on the hour-mark which Brundrett goaled to make it 24-4 before Dewsbury Celtic notched a second unconverted score two minutes later, this time through hard-working prop Tim Land.

Acorn reasserted themselves on 72 minutes when hooker Craig Fox capped a fine performance in an unaccustomed role by finishing off a fluent piece of attacking rugby, Brundrett being back on target with the extras.

The game's final score went to the hosts when speedy winger Craig McCloughlan raced clear to score their third unconverted try.

Top performers for Acorn were Brundrett, winger Gary Isles and Day in their backs, and Fox, second-rower Dave Norman and loose-forward Danny Liddell in the pack.

Acorn spokesman Paul Lumby said: "We can be pleased with the way we bounced back well from our heavy defeat at Normanton in our last league game, but we know we will need to tighten up even more in defence and control the ball even better in attack if we are to progress further in this competition, especially as we've been handed a tough away clash in the next round."

There was no big upset at Oaklands, where York Groves were hammered 64-2 by Cottingham Tigers.

Alex Benson and Gary Mowforth both notched hat-tricks and Great Britain Amateurs full-back Lee Moreton a brace for the Tigers.

The ties involving Heworth, New Earswick All Blacks and Selby Warriors were all postponed due to frozen pitches.

Updated: 10:53 Monday, January 13, 2003