New Earswick All Blacks Rugby League Club are to hold an extraordinary general meeting on Sunday to decide their future after their defeat last night virtually condemned them to a re-election spot at the bottom of the National Conference League.

Among the issues to be discussed at the meeting - which starts at 10.30am and which all players are being urged to attend - will be whether to apply to stay in the Conference or drop down the Yorkshire League.

"It has been a difficult season for us and we've got to have a serious look at what our aims should e next season," said club spokesman Charles Rollinson.

Last night's cruel defeat - a controversial late penalty gave Castleford Panthers a 16-15 victory - means that All Blacks must beat champions-elect Thatto Heath at home on Saturday to have any mathematical chance of getting out of the re-election zone.

The result, which secured Panthers' safety in the division, came down to the 77th-minute penalty awarded against hooker Martin McTigue.

He was tackled with the ball, 25 yards from his own line. As he struggled to get up he was penalised for interfering with the tackle, after the referee deemed he had tugged on an opponent's shirt.

The goal saw All Blacks go behind for the first time in the game. An injury-time penalty attempt by full-back Dave Carling, awarded for another high tackle by Panthers, failed to give them back the lead.

The scene had been set on six minutes when Carling was flattened by a high tackle, but the referee took no action against the Panthers player.

All Blacks went ahead on 14 minutes when stand-off Mick Harrison went over under the sticks, Carling converting to make it 6-0. Carl Pallister went over in the corner, shooting through two would-be tacklers, to make it 10-0.

Another high tackle led to Carling making it 12-0 with a penalty before Panthers converted a penalty before half-time. After the break they pulled it back to 12-8 with a try in the corner plus conversion.

Carling kicked All Blacks further ahead but the Cas side hit back to level with a try in the corner plus conversion with ten minutes left.

All Blacks, whose Mick Harrison was man of the match, fought back to go ahead through a Carl Pallister field goal and the victory looked assured before the late controversy turned it round.

Heworth will be playing for pride when they entertain bottom club Millom in their penultimate match on Saturday.

Both clubs have already been condemned to relegation from the National Conference League first division but will see this game as possibly the last chance to restore some pride.

Heworth end their campaign at home to Wigan St Judes next Saturday.

The Totalrl.com Rugby League Conference starts this weekend, with Bridlington Bulls making their debut in the competition.

The Bulls will be competing in the newly-formed North East division, alongside Durham Phoenix, Sunderland City, Newcastle and Teesside Steelers.

Chairman of the club is former Leeds and Great Britain Test star Les Dyl, who lives in the town.

Bridlington kick-off life in the Conference with a home game against Sunderland on Saturday.

Updated: 13:06 Thursday, May 03, 2001