YORK Acorn put in a performance to be proud of against Hull FC but saw their Challenge Cup run ended with a 52-6 defeat at the Millennium Stadium.

Ant Chilton’s charges were backed by a large contingent in West Yorkshire and held their own against the Super League heavyweights, who were playing amateur opposition competitively for the first time since 1998.

Lewis Martin bagged his first professional hat-trick and Harvey Barron a two-minute brace, whilst Denive Balmforth and debutants Cade Cust, John Asiata and Lloyd Kemp also got in on the act for John Cartwright’s side.

The loudest cheer of the afternoon however rang out for Jordan Myers, whose converted try on the quarter-hour was a just reward for the amateurs’ efforts and temporarily levelled the scores at six apiece.

Acorn did well to hold the Airlie Birds to 24-6 at the break, but as their discipline worsened, the scoreline grew late on, with a third of the visitors’ tries scored in the last 15 minutes.

Nonetheless, there was plenty of fight and encouragement from Acorn ahead of the start of the NCL Premier Division season.

Acorn gave a good account of themselves. (Image: Andy Nelson Sports Photography) Acorn were without the influential Josh Thompson due to suspension but named a near-full strength line-up for the biggest match in their history, with middles Jack Burns and Eddie Prescott among those to impress.

Player/coach Chilton himself made a cameo off the bench, playing just over 20 minutes to see out the match.

Hull named a club record seven debutants, with Cust, Asiata, Ollie Holmes, Hugo Salabio and youngsters Kemp, Joe Ward and Will Hutchinson all taking to the field for the first time.

Consecutive penalties for high tackles saw the visitors apply early pressure on the Acorn line, and they initially soaked it up.

Asiata thought he had scored after Cust’s grubber had bounced off the pads at the base of the posts and into his arms, only for him to drop the ball across the line under pressure.

But a missed tackle on the left wing presented Hull with an opportunity too good to miss, with Martin taking Westerman’s pass and racing down the touchline to score out wide.

Westerman expertly converted from the touchline, going on to miss just one of his nine attempts.

Acorn though set about the perfect response and brought themselves level on the quarter-hour to a standing ovation.

After a penalty for a high shot had sent them into the 20-metre line for the first time, Myers ran onto Matt Chilton’s grubber to touch down to the right of the posts, Nathan Conroy’s conversion bringing the scores to six apiece.

Jordan Myers got across the line for Acorn to huge cheers on the quarter-hour. (Image: Andy Nelson Sports Photography) Some heroic try-line scramble saw Acorn force a series of ball spills close to their line, but their defence was breached again in the 24th minute when Balmforth broke through and fed the supporting Cust to touch down beneath the posts. Westerman could not miss from bang in front.

The centre was almost calling for the kicking tee again five minutes later when Cust’s grubber bounced up towards Holmes, but he could not keep hold of the ball as he dived for the line.

Hull did find the whitewash twice more before the break however, as the Acorn floodgates began to open.

Asiata proved too strong as he shrugged off a tackle and dotted down under the posts, before Balmforth twisted his way across, capitalising after Acorn had given away a six-again inside their 10-metre line.

Westerman converted both, handing them a comfortable 24-6 lead at the break.

Acorn came out well in the second half, with a short kick off paying dividends, but some sloppy passes just outside the 10-metre line saw an opportunity to strike early go begging.

Hull were soon back on top, and took just two minutes to extend their advantage when Chilton allowed Cust’s kick to bounce, Martin reacting quickest to go over out wide.

Westerman missed his touchline attempt but found the target again six minutes later after some tidy footwork from Kemp resulted in the visitors’ sixth try of the afternoon.

Opportunities continued to fall the visitors’ way, but Martin could not take in a poor pass with a clear run down the left wing to the corner.

Head coach Chilton brought himself off the bench with just over 20 minutes left to play, and helped his side see out another set on their line.

Player/coach Ant Chilton came off the bench just before the hour. (Image: Andy Nelson Sports Photography) But Acorn could not keep their opponents out for much longer, Westerman finding Martin to complete his hat-trick with quarter of an hour remaining.

Barron then added insult to injury from a short kick off, running 80 metres to score to the right of the posts.

Acorn were then their own worst enemies, giving away a trio of six-again’s less than 15 metres from their line, with Barron twisting his way out of a tackle and diving over from close range to bring up the half-century.

Hull had one final chance on the hooter after making their way inside the 10-metre line, but Logan Moy let the ball slip through his fingers as he seemed set to score.

YORK ACORN: Chilton, Shepherdson, Parker, Gallacher, Husband, Conroy, Green, Prescott, Hammerton, Burns, Hunt, Myers, Bulmer.

INTERCHANGES: Byworth, Speck, Rushworth, A. Chilton

TRIES: Myers (15)

GOALS: Conroy 1/1

HULL FC: Moy, Ward, Barron, Westerman, Martin, Kemp, Cust, Ashworth, Balmforth, Aydin, Holmes, Fash, Asiata.

INTERCHANGES: Gardiner, Hutchinson, Kirby, Salabio

TRIES: Martin (7, 42, 65), Cust (24), Asiata (34), Balmforth (38), Kemp (49), Barron (66, 68)

GOALS: Westerman 8/9

POINTS SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-6, 4-6, 6-6, 6-10, 6-12, 6-16, 6-18, 6-22, 6-24, 6-28, 6-32, 6-34, 6-38, 6-40, 6-44, 6-46, 6-50, 6-52

HALF TIME: 6-24

ACORN’S STAR MAN: Jack Burns. The prop was among a number of Acorn players to impress on an afternoon in which they could hold their heads high.