THERE was happy news from the Crake household this week.

Second row Darren Crake's wife, April, gave birth to little Lacey on the morning of Sunday's match, meaning he was forced to pull out of the Wasps squad to face Villeneuve.

The doting dad did turn up at Huntington Stadium that afternoon but his ceaseless light-headed smile was enough proof that he was in no fit state to play.

"I was all set for playing," he assured the Evening Press. "But we went out for something to eat on Saturday and my wife started having contractions.

"We were up all of Saturday night and at 9.30 (the next morning), she gave birth."

Lacey becomes the couple's third child after nine-year-old Daniel and Liam, three, and the Evening Press can report that both mother and daughter are doing fine. "Everything's sweet," added Pops, "apart from a few sleepless nights."

A TYPICAL captain's display by never-say-die Peter Edwards lifts the Kiwi up to second in the Guildford Construction/Evening Press player-of-the-year stakes.

Edwards was again the epitom of determination against Villeneuve on Sunday and picks up the three POTY points.

Fellow Kiwi Carl Hall made several bustling runs and was eager to take the fight - quite literally at times - to the French outfit. He therefore gets two points, while scrum-half Scott Yeaman gets the remaining counter.

Yeaman again got Wasps' only try and could have had a hat-trick - had he scored those other chances the man of the match award would have been his and, more importantly, the Wasps would have won.

The Wasps' man of the match in each game receives three points, the second best player two points and the third best one point. Whoever tops the table at the end of the season will receive £350 courtesy of Guildford Construction, with the runner-up winning £150.

Player of the Year standings: Mark Cain 10pts, Peter Edwards 7, Jon Liddell 6, Mick Docherty 6, Carl Hall 6, Steve Hill 4, Jamie Benn 4, Michael Forbes 3, Ben Sorbello 3, Scott Yeaman 3, Andy Precious 1, Shaun Austerfield 1.

Updated: 11:02 Saturday, February 16, 2002