1st Team vs Halifax Panthers

YORK Acorn’s remarkable Betfred Challenge Cup run came to an end as they fell to a 62-6 defeat at Halifax Panthers.

Josh Mortimer’s amateurs were backed by a vociferous away support at their fifth round tie in the pouring rain at The Shay, but found the Betfred Championship play-off hopefuls a step too far.

But with triumphs against Orrell St James, Betfred League One semi-pro’s Cornwall and fellow NCL side Wath Brow Hornets seeing Acorn reach the fifth round for the first time in their history, it is a cup run likely to live long in the memory.

Acorn started brightly, but Eddie Prescott’s sin-bin allowed the hosts to score twice in four minutes as they made their numerical advantage count.

Halifax’s lead was eked out to a perhaps flattering 22 points by the interval, but such a strong defensive effort was always likely to prove difficult for the visitors to retain, and that proved to be the case.

It took just three minutes for the hosts to restart the scoring after the break, with Matty Gee notching a hat-trick and nine conversions from the tee as the Panthers sealed their place in the sixth round.

The loudest cheer of the afternoon however rang out in the dying seconds, Acorn’s Antony Chilton scoring a consolation try after burrowing over with a minute left to play.

Nonetheless, Mortimer’s side can hold their heads high on an afternoon in which they carried on battling right until the end.

78' - ACOOOOORNNNNN TRYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!

The loudest cheer of the afternoon as Ant Chilton bundles his way over through a sea of bodies to bring Acorn onto the scoreboard! (62-4)