ROOKES United collected their first points of the season with a totally unexpected 2-1 win at title contenders Drax United in the first division of the York Sunday Afternoon League.

All was going to form for second-placed Drax as Pete Cunnington gave them the lead with a goal four minutes before the break.

But the visitors responded five minutes after the interval with a Mark Bassett 25-yarder. Fifteen minutes later Jimmy Rollinson headed home the Rookes winner to give his side all three points and lift them off the foot of the table.

The big match in the first division was between leaders York Nomads 85 and unbeaten St John's College and it ended all square after the latter surrendered a 2-0 half-time lead.

The students took control midway through the first half with two goals in two minutes through a Mark Smith spot kick and a Chris Whalley close-range strike.

Eight minutes into the second period, Nomads responded with a Steve Jefferson penalty conversion but left it until 12 minutes from the end for the equaliser when Kevin Lee hit an unstoppable shot from the edge of the area.

In the second division, leaders Fossway opened up a five-point gap at the top with a 5-2 victory at Clifton Rangers. Two up at the break, Fossway's advantage was increased in the second half and despite Ben Firth pulling one back the leaders restored their three-goal advantage.

Once more Rangers reduced the arrears, this time through Jamie Isles, but once again the visitors restored their three-goal cushion. On target for the leaders were Ogden (2), Empson, Bellwood and Sinclair.

Highest score of the day came at Burton Stone where the home side scored 15 times without reply against bottom club CB United. No fewer than eight players got on the scoresheet with three of these scoring hat-tricks - Horner, Parker and Sutton.

Cocker netted a brace, with the remaining goals coming from Harrison, Fallon, Freer and Shepherd.

Black Dog Camblesforth were another side who went nap as they had a nine-goal shut-out against Yearsley Grove.

Petch scored four times, Bellaby and Jackson twice each with the ninth coming from Gaynor.

In the third division, Acomb Athletic lost their 100 per cent record at lowly Rose & Crown. Smith scored twice for the home side in a 6-3 upset with the other goals coming from Depa, Pallister, Dunne and an own goal. In reply, Kilbride (2) and Lambourne were on target for the visitors.

A goal each from Cruickshank, Ingram, Adams and Bentham was just enough to give Haxby United reserves the points by the odd goal in nine against Gimcrack.

Wigginton Grasshoppers moved up to second in the table with a 5-1 victory over Old Grey Mare thanks mainly to an Angus McArthur hat-trick. The other two goals came from O'Loughlin and an own goal, while the consolation goal for the visitors came from Chris Heath.

Central Science Laboratory scored four times without reply against bottom-of-the-table Cygnet, with strikes from Weller (2), Morris and Turley.

In the outstanding league cup first round tie between College of Law and Haxby United, it was the students who progressed to the next round with a 5-2 victory, due mainly to a four-goal haul from Adam Ewart. Alex Dumphy hit the fifth with the Haxby reply coming from Machen and Stericker.