York Acorn ARLC boss Alfie Hill reckons if his side play like they did last week they should return to winning ways.

The Blue and Golds, third in the National Conference premier division, travel to Oulton Raiders, one of several mid-table teams with hopes of the play-offs, just a week after the majority of their team went through two tough games in two days.

The York Select XIII were pipped in the dying seconds by York City Knights in Sunday’s friendly, just 24 hours after Acorn, who provided the bulk of that line-up, were unlucky to lose 30-22 at leaders Leigh Miners.

They were denied a potential match-changing try in that game and Hill says he had “no grumbles” with that performance.

“We just didn’t have the rub of the green but if we play like that we will be all right,” said the coach, who will have captain Mike Embleton back after his two-match ban.

“The lads were all a bit stiff on Tuesday so they had a rub down and a light session. They should recover.”

Heworth have no game in division two after their scheduled match away to fellow promotion hopefuls Stanley Rangers was switched.

This was the only game in the division that would not have been affected by Challenge Cup first round ties, both clubs having been knocked out, but fixture chiefs have instead sent Stanley to visit Eccles & Salford Juniors instead.

Perplexed Heworth spokesman Ken Sykes said the team would have liked to have played, especially on the back of last week’s win over East Leeds.

“I don’t fully understand the logic of it. It’s a difficult job to rearrange matches but I think they’ve over-complicated it in this instance.

“They said Eccles wouldn’t have played for two weeks – but a lot of clubs are in the same situation, and Eccles have played the same number of games as us. Now we have another game that has to be slotted in, and we have to start all over again next week.”

York Acorn ‘A’ visit Castleford Panthers ‘A’ looking for a semi-final berth in the Yorkshire League’s Alliance Cup, while runaway division four leaders Heworth ‘A’ host Eastmoor ‘A’.

Relegation-haunted New Earswick All Blacks will have to pull off the shock of the Pennine League premier division season if they are to get anything from their home match with unbeaten leaders Drighlington, Selby Warriors will hope to have learned lessons from their 74-10 thrashing by classy champions elect Wibsey in division four.

Carl Bardauskas gave Selby hope with an early equalising try goaled by Nick Weaver, but it was one-way traffic thereafter, punctured only by a late Stevenson try and good showings by captain Wayne Fennel, and forwards Ramskill and Harrison.

The Warriors’ new base will be the Unicorn on Wistow Road following the closure of the Elizabethan.

Promotion-chasing All Blacks ‘A’ visit lowly Cowling Harlequins in division six.