Heworth bounced back to winning ways and kept their slender promotion hopes alive with a 26-10 victory over Millom in National Conference League division two.

Centre Nathan Witty got vital tries for the Villagers, the first to equalise Millom's opening score and the second to put the game beyond the visitors' reach towards the end.

Millom had taken a surprise lead through Paul Evans, who goaled his own touchdown, but Heworth hit back after a break by Richard Darling set up Witty to go over, Dave Carling adding the extras.

Fit-again Steve Barnard, who was excellent on his return to the team, crashed over on 24 minutes after an excellent handling move, and Carling's conversion extended the hosts' lead to 12-6 at the break.

Heworth first-team debutants Steve Spruyt and Jason Caine helped set up a try for powerful substitute forward Mark Atkin, which came immediately after the restart, and when Mark Harrison went over for another Heworth try just two minutes later, Millom looked dead and buried.

However, the visitors hit back with a Graham Lupton try and had the hosts in some trouble, with Gra-ham Elland and Evans to the fore.

But Heworth could themselves have added to their score and when Harrison put Witty away for his second try, the game was all over.

Heworth spokesman Ken Sykes said: "It was quite a good performance. There was a lot of effort and enthusiasm and we played much better then of late. We probably should have gone on to win by a more convincing scoreline but we missed a few chances in the second half."

Forward Jason Gatus was missing after suffering a broken wrist and Nikki Wilson is still out injured, while Dan Briggs was also missing having signed trialist forms with RL Premiership side Hunslet Hawks.

However, there were encouraging debuts for Spruyt and Caine. Said Sykes: "Steve played on the wing and did pretty well. His defence was good and he did not put a foot wrong. Jason ran very strongly at prop and was impressive."

Updated: 11:53 Monday, November 19, 2001