HEAD coach Eric Fitzsimons has hit back at York Acorn ARLC after being sensationally sacked despite a great start to the season.

The former Whitehaven, Sheffield and Oldham boss, who has also worked in coaching development for the Rugby Football League, has seen the promoted Blue and Golds to joint-top in National Conference division one.

However, he was dismissed following the controversial game at Lock Lane on Friday, which was abandoned, with Acorn leading, after fighting broke out.

The Evening Press believes that match had nothing to do with the decision by the club, who will now instil a new coaching team of former York City Knights star Darren Callaghan, Barry Gargan and manager Paul Lumby.

Rochdale-based schoolteacher Fitzsimons, who joined in the off-season, said: "I'm very disappointed. I was very happy doing what I was doing and I was very successful doing it.

"The more I've thought about it, the more I think that over the last four months I've been used as a stop-gap until Darren Callaghan was ready to take over. He's ex-Acorn and has just finished playing for the Knights. He has many qualities and will be a player-coach. He's got a lot of professional playing experience, as I had, and is bang up to date on the drills they do.

"Why else would you sack a coach who has been willing to travel from Rochdale and is responsible for winning eight out of nine games in a higher division than the club has ever played in before?

"There are worse things happening in the world but this did knock me backwards.

"I thoroughly enjoyed wor-king with the lads - they're a great bunch - and I think they will do very well. I genuinely wish them all the best."

He added: "Kev Warters (chairman) has been very vague about why I had to go. He's come up with the line that a lot of players did not rate me."

Fitzsimons has said he will still watch Acorn games, while the controversy is unlikely to affect his son Michael's position as a player at Thanet Road. He added: "I will be going back to coaching where I can because I love it and I think I'm good at it."

Warters said: "After discussions with the Acorn committee, we have decided we do not wish to make any comment other than to wish Eric all the best for the future."

Meanwhile, Acorn are hoping the 18-8 scoreline on Friday will be taken as a final result. League rules state results stand if games go past the 65-minute mark, and Acorn's match was abandoned on 67 minutes.

The club are nevertheless likely to face a disciplinary hearing and are awaiting the referee's report.

In better news, winger Johnny Waldron, the BARLA Player of the Year, and prop Adam Endersby are both in the 18-man BARLA Great Britain Under-23s squad to play the Combined Services at Portsmouth this month.

Updated: 11:08 Tuesday, October 18, 2005