YORK Acorn ARLC are hoping to finish a "frustrating" season on a high at home to Eccles & Salford Juniors on Saturday.

The Blue and Golds could rise a place in the National Conference division two table but, after results elsewhere last week confirmed they are safe from relegation, they have little of substance to play for.

However, with the visitors still fighting for their lives, Acorn coach Alfie Hill says it is only fair on the other teams involved in the relegation battle that they give their all.

"They can get out of it if they win both their games, but we're not looking to lie down for Eccles," said Hill.

"They've got everything to play for and they've hit their best form winning three out of four and only narrowly losing to (promotion-seeking) Leigh East last week. But if we win, we will go up to seventh, which is not too bad after the season we've had."

Acorn began the campaign with a run of defeats and over the term lost a number of key players to other clubs and the professional game.

Hill said of the season: "It's been a bit frustrating. We lost six games by six points or less and if they'd gone the other way we'd have been in a higher position.

"It's been a transitional period. You can't just take four players out of the team and replace lads who are signing pro just like that. You can't throw under-18s in and expect them to perform like a lad who's signed pro, but hopefully they'll grow up quick and benefit because of it."

Heworth finish their campaign at home to Crosfields already guaranteed of seventh place in division two.

It will be the Villagers' highest finish since 2002-03 and spokesman Ken Sykes was happy with the progression the club has made.

"It's not been a bad season really and it was better than the season before," he said.

"We were hovering on the edges of the promotion spots early in the season and, although we could not sustain that, we've done pretty well with a young side."

Joint-coaches Chris Smith and Paul Newlove, the former Super League stars, have had a major impact at Elmpark Way and Sykes is confident the re-election woes the club endured just a couple of years ago are now long gone.

"Hopefully that sort of thing is in the past now," he said. "These last couple of years have been a steady process for us and we're getting better year on year."

Heworth have been particularly good at home this term, and showed they could compete with the leading sides. They have beaten champions elect Waterhead and second-placed Dudley Hill, but, on the other side of the coin, have lost to bottom club Askam.

"We still lack consistency," said Sykes. "We've had some really good performances against teams at the top but lost out to some of the lower sides, but we've not got a bad record and with two or three more wins we would have been up there."

A win on Saturday would mean Heworth finish with more wins than defeats for the first time since 2002-03.

Heworth A' team's top-four play-off aspirations in Yorkshire League division three will come under scrutiny away to second-placed Hunslet Warriors.

The rejuveneted Villagers side have already reached the Alliance Cup final for the second year running and recent form has seen them rise to third in the table.