YORK Acorn ARLC held on for two vital points as they maintained their quest for glory in National Conference League division one.

Acorn, promoted from division two last season, beat Thatto Heath, relegated from the top tier and with aspirations of bouncing straight back up, 16-12 in a gripping game at Thanet Road.

Acorn were led by player-coach Darren Callaghan at loose-forward, the former York City Knights star getting the nod for man of the match and setting the Blue and Golds on their way with a try a quarter of the way through the game.

Acorn thus climbed back up to sixth place having fallen a few spots without throwing a ball in midweek when the league's disciplinary commit-tee ordered them to replay the game against Castleford Lock Lane. That match, abandoned with 13 minutes to go with Acorn leading, saw the points originally given to the York side.

If they win this game in hand, plus the one against Hunslet Warriors which must also be replayed after being abandoned, then they will be back up to third.

Callaghan put Acorn ahead from a pass by Andy Henson, who added his first of two goals.

Stand-off Andy Lee raced 60 metres for a second home try before the St Helens side pulled a try back through scrum-half Anthony Marsh, James Milligan goaling to make it 12-6 at half-time.

Centre Mike Embleton got the next score on the hour mark to take the hosts two tries clear, and this proved vital when Thatto Heath crossed again through prop Mark Beech, Milligan goaling, to reduce the gap to four points.

There were still nine minutes left but Acorn's excellent defence held firm in a tense finale to stay in touch with the leaders.

Heworth put up a spirited display in defeat to division two leaders Castleford Panthers, whose 38-14 win lifted them two points clear at the top.

The scoreline was ultimately resounding but the home team, with only one defeat this season, led by only two points going into the last ten minutes when they finished with a flourish, led by former York Wasps and Dewsbury Rams star Jamie Benn.

Benn, outstanding at stand-off, goaled two of the three early tries scored by winger Danny Agar, hooker Adam Dickinson and loose-forward Paul Steel for a 16-0 Panthers lead.

But Heworth staged a determined fightback. Mike Welsh got one try back before half-time and in-form prop Dan Briggs and stand-off Aaron Wood both crossed, with the latter adding a conversion, for a 16-14 scoreline.

Heworth eyed an upset but Benn stepped in for a 70th-minute try and further scores came from Matthew Bacon, Agar with his second and Neil Bennett to give the scoreline a flattering look.

Updated: 10:04 Monday, November 21, 2005