Heworth ARLC are again hoping their first win won’t be too far away.

The Villagers haven’t managed a National Conference League victory since November 2010 and their division two clash at promotion-chasing East Leeds this Saturday is unlikely to provide the breakthrough.

But optimism is starting to course through the veins of players and staff at the Elmpark Way outfit after they once again came close to breaking their long-running duck.

Having been less than 15 minutes away from beating Featherstone Lions, before eventually falling 38-18, coach Stuart Brown’s men were 10-4 up against Crosfields last weekend thanks to Lewis Worthington’s brace.

Even though they eventually lost 20-10, confidence is beginning to rise, albeit not for the first time in their 19-month-long winless run.

Club spokesman Ken Sykes said: “If you look at it purely in terms of the score then it is a much closer game than some of the others. There’s actually quite a lot of disappointment around and the feeling that we really should have done better.

“We still seem to be suffering from the same old problem of not being able to get a settled side out and, maybe with a stronger team, we might have done it.

“On the other hand, there is a feeling that we are getting better, that we are improving, and the disappointment is because it was a realistic chance of getting our first win.”

East Leeds provide a formidable threat, having won ten of their 12 matches this season and lying a point adrift of leaders Shaw Cross Sharks with two games in hand. Sykes added, though, that Heworth would continue to stick to their task.

“There’s quite a decent mood within the club and heads are not down on the floor,” he said. “We are battling. East Leeds are having a good season and we are going to go and give it our best shot. If we lose, we will dust ourselves down and carry on.”

Heworth will be boosted by the return of Adam Jobling, who will bolster the forwards, while the Villagers are also hoping to welcome back Tyler Craig, following his return from BARLA England Under-18s Lions tour duty. Craig was also back in the York City Knights reserves squad for their trip to Oldham tonight.

York Acorn’s quest for a quick return to the premier division will come under scrutiny when they go to promotion rivals Wigan St Jude’s.

Acorn held off a late rally by Oldham St Anne’s last week but current form suggests this Saturday’s opponents will be far tougher.

St Anne’s prop up the table whereas St Jude’s lie only two spots behind the second-placed York side with a game in hand.

York Lokomotive are due to host Stanningley ‘A in the Yorkshire Men’s League, while Heworth ‘A’ go to East Hull ‘A’. The Lokos were soundly beaten 60-6 at home by Milford Marlins ‘A’ last week.