Despite suffering a heavy 48-4 defeat, a young York Wasps Academy team played very well against a Leigh side that tops the Academy League table, writes Dianne Hillaby.

For the first 25 minutes of the match York were the better side, leading 4-0 through a Chris Keld try after 13 minutes.

The York defence was superb, the handling excellent and it was only desperate Leigh scrambling defence that kept the Wasps at bay.

But Leigh hit back after 25 minutes with a converted try followed by two tries in two minutes on the half hour and a further two tries in two minutes on the stroke of half-time to give the home side a 30-4 lead.

The tries continued to leak after the break with four more in the space of 15 minutes to extend the home lead to 48-4.

York rallied their defence with full-back Kyle Wood pulling off several try-saving tackles and man of the match Keld and Danny Brown leading the forwards to stem the flow, adding some competitiveness to the last 25 minutes.

York Academy will be hoping to record their second win of the season on Saturday when they entertain Chorley Lynx at Huntington Stadium, kick-off 2.30pm.

York: Wood, Irving, Spain, S Flynn, P Flynn, Dawson, Hunter, Wildon, Dick, Burgess, Keld, Brown, Gargan. Subs (all played): Winspear, Scott, Peacham, Jones.

Updated: 12:12 Wednesday, July 04, 2001