WHAT a great shame it was this week to see English rugby league lose Leo Epifania.

And what a shame it is for the man himself to be stuck with an unenviable record of only one win from 11 Northern Ford Premiership games, a record that hardly reflects his standing in the game.

The Aussie returned home to Sydney two days ago to mark an end to five increasingly difficult months at the York Wasps helm.

He had given up more than most - namely his home and his business - to come to England on the back of a number of promises that ultimately did not materialise.

He wasn't given the players, the set-up or the outlook he was promised, while the club's idea that he was to lead an assault on Super League as part of the five-year plan to win promotion have proved nothing more than a far-fetched pipe-dream.

On top of that, the collapse of the Wasps left him with no income and with no real option but to return Down Under, despite the fans' attempts to revive the club.

However, to feel sorry for the man - as a number of supporters have said they do - is probably not appropriate.

Indeed, his departure appears to be a bigger loss to England and in particular York.

An amiable character yet tough as nails, he will no doubt find himself a new coaching role in Sydney and by all accounts has the makings of a top-grade boss.

Not one player has criticised his coaching methods, while the Wasps' experienced stars like former Kiwi international Peter Edwards, who has now rejoined Doncaster Dragons, and Carl Hall even said he was the best coach they had ever worked under.

Unfortunately for Epifania, however, these kinds of comments don't go down in the record books.

What will be written in stone is his record of played 13, won two, lost 11, and his NFP record of played 11, lost ten.

Like former Wasps boss Lee Crooks before him, the circumstances they worked in might not be remembered in years to come and indeed might not be known by fans and officials elsewhere, but the records of heavy defeats will always be there.

And for both men, that is highly unjust.

FORMER York Wasps favourites Peter Edwards and Mark Cain both got on the scoresheets for their new clubs on Easter Monday.

Inspirational Kiwi Edwards, who rejoined Doncaster last week after the Wasps' closure was confirmed, received an early sin-binning in his debut back with the Dragons but later ran in a try as the visitors recorded only their second-ever win at Featherstone.

Meanwhile, Cain, who had joined Hull Kingston Rovers the previous week, got the Robins' last try in their 44-12 demolition of Keighley.

Both matches were in the National League Cup.

Another former Wasp, Alex Godfrey, who got a hat-trick as Hull KR hammered Gateshead 46-6 in their opening Cup match, also weighed in with a try against the Cougars.

WASPS stalwart Andy Precious put the misery surrounding the club behind him yesterday when he wed long-time sweetheart Emma Townsend.

The club's plight was no doubt at the back of the popular prop's mind as he enjoyed his big day, for which his best man was Wasps' esteemed stats man Rich Kirby.

As reported in the Evening Press, most of this season's Wasps squad and some ex-players took the East Midlands by storm as they staged Presh's stag do in Nottingham in February.

Now, however, the 31-year-old is considering retiring from rugby league following the closure last month of the Wasps, although he has backed the fans' bid to resurrect the Northern Ford Premiership outfit either in time for the resumption of NFP action in June or for next season.

Family pray for the return of prized Cup final medal

THE son of a former York RL Club hero has approached the Evening Press in an attempt to get back a treasured memento of his father's career.

John Jordan, of Shipton Road, York has written to the award-winning newspaper in a bid to find the Challenge Cup finalists' medal won by his father during his time with the club.

Mr Jordan's father, also called John, played for York at the time of their only Challenge Cup final appearance at Wembley, in 1930-31.

Although injury ruled him out of the match itself, which York lost, Jordan senior was still awarded a medal as he had played in all the previous rounds in the club's glorious march to the Twin Towers.

Unfortunately, however, after this medal was shown by Mr Jordan's mother to customers at the Blue Bell Inn, Fossgate, York, it has since gone missing.

Therefore, if anybody has any idea about where this treasured medal might be, we at the Evening Press would love to be able to pass it on to Mr Jordan.

Although the medal might not be worth a lot in financial terms, it is of great importance and major sentimental value to the family of the player who won it.

Anyone who can help is asked to contact the Evening Press sports desk on 01904 567137, or at 76-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN.

Updated: 10:26 Saturday, April 06, 2002