HANGING ON: Heworth's Craig Forsyth tries to shake off the attentions of two Shaw Cross tacklers.

Shaw Cross Sharks stepped up their National Conference League division one title challenge as a blistering first half paved the way for a 42-20 victory at Heworth.

The Villagers did well to respond well after trailing 28-0 at the interval.

Heworth had opened brightly, but with Sharks' player-coach Deryck Fox inspiring his team it became one-way traffic after winger Mark Grundell touched down the opening try on 17 minutes.

Mark Chapman pounced to run in an interception try three minutes later. He quickly followed up with his second, and then australian loose forward Brett Patterson added a fourth try.

Grundell scored a fifth try, and Fox landed four goals to give Sharks their commanding half-time lead.

Heworth hit back with two tries in the first five minutes of the second period from second row forward Craig Forsyth and winger John Coulson, with Brendan Carlyle converting one.

But any thoughts of catching the visitors were removed as Fox scored a penalty, and Richard Gregory and Fox went in for tries.

Lee Clarke and Steve Barnard scored two further consolation tries for Heworth.

The win left Sharks just one point behind leaders Ideal Isberg, while Heworth's seven games have brought them just six points to stand fifth from bottom.

In division two, New Earswick All Blacks consolidated their mid-table position with a 26-18 victory at Waterhead, who had been second.

On an awful pitch All Blacks turned on a great display of forward play spearheaded by Lee McTigue who scored a hat-trick of tries and produced several barnstorming runs.

Playing up the steep slope, Waterhead opened the scoring after ten minutes with a try by Justin Aslam converted by Dean Partington.

But All Blacks bounced back to level with a try under the posts by Jez Petch five minutes later, Jamie Danial converting to level the scores.

All Blacks then took control with tries by John Leach and McTigue, Paul Booth converting obe to give the visitors a 16-6 interval lead.

After the break All Blacks endured a ten-minute horror spell as Waterhead went in for three tries through Jimmy Cowan, Bob Maders, and Brian Agars to take a 18-16 lead.

But this was the signal for McTigue to surge into action. Firstly he burst through the Waterhead defence to score his second try, and three minutes later he took the ball from the base of the scrum and crashed over in the corner for his hat-trick.

Danial rounded off the All Blacks scoring with a penalty.

Also outstanding for All Blacks were Richard Harrison and full-back Lee Nelson.

Also in division two, York Acorn put an end to a depressing run of defeats with a much needed 21-8 home win over Dewsbury Moor.

Acorn deserved the win, but it would have been by a much bigger margin if they had taken more of their chances.

Dewsbury Moor started brightly and on five minutes took the lead with a try by their impressive left winger Mark Turner who struck blind from a scrum heel close to the Acorn line.

Ten minutes later Acorn responded in style with a well worked try for loose forward Nicky Warters to which Lee Frank headed the conversion. Frank then added two penalties to push Acorn into a healthy 10-4 lead which they held until half-time.

Acorn could have gone further in front when an excellent break by stand-off Danny Liddell saw scrum half Andy Lee hauled down inches from the Moor line.

Acorn's next score came on 60 minutes when outstanding hooker and captain Frank sold a dummy and raced in for an impressive solo try.

Acorn stunned Dewsbury with another try soon afterwards when right winger Rian Calam intercepted and raced the full length of the pitch for a try goaled by Frank.

Dewsbury hit back with the second try of the game for left winger Mark Turner which saw Acorn's lead cut to 20-8.

But Acorn had the final word when substitute Paul Smith put over his customary field goal to clinch a 21-8 win.

Top performers for Acorn were man of the match Frank, fellow forwards Leigh Marshall and Nicky Warters, along with full back and debutant Phil Lawrence and centre Alan Willitts.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.