Fossway's sharpshooters set a York Sunday Afternoon League record by slaughtering rock-bottom CB United 40-3.

With Fossway winning all their second division games this season and United losing all theirs, the results - if not the scoreline - was predictable.

It bettered the 38-0 Leeman Athletic rattled up against Trebor Bassett in September 1999.

While Fossway clinched the title with their enormous win, United 'keeper Dennis Moore was amazingly hailed as man of the match for a string of excellent saves.

League secretary John Lynch said: "It would be easy to poke fun at the players who suffered this massive defeat, but it was not the CB players who turned out for the club who were at fault.

"It was the ones who failed to show up that let the side down."

Only five United players were present when the game was scheduled to kick off, but they did eventually get started with eight men.

With goals coming in the first, second and third minutes from Mick Green, Shaun Empson and Daz Lias, a massive scoreline was soon on the cards.

After leading 12-0 at half-time, Fossway swopped their defence for attack and the defenders piled in an amazing 28 goals in the second period.

CB stuck to their task and were rewarded with three goals of their own.

Lee Jefferson scored twice with a 25-yard volley and long range header and club secretary Sid Smith fired the ball in from 40 yards after spotting the Fossway goalkeeper chatting to his manager, Ray Wathey.

Eleven Fossway players got on the scoresheet as referee Alan Dennison discovered that a calculator rather than a notebook and pen would have come in handy.

Fossway's marksmen were Weir (6), Empson (6), Ogden (6), Lias (5), Whitehead (4), Franklin (4), Spavin (3), Watson (2), Green (2), Peacock and Gore.

United have now conceded a record 210 goals with three games still to play after losing all their 15 league matches.

Yet they could still stay up if they can reverse their fortunes and win their last three games.

Smith said: "We feel embarrassed by this defeat but we are not giving up.

"All the lads who played are upset but we don't blame ourselves, it's the ones who didn't turn up that let the side down.

"We are not cry babies, we shall carry on fighting to avoid relegation.

"At least I scored my 202nd goal for the club."

His Fossway counterpart Wathey said: "Teams like CB are a credit to the league. They never gave up fighting and their goalkeeper was outstanding."

Haxby lost ground in the race to be runners-up to Fossway, dropping two points.

They played a double header against Burton Stone, winning the first match 1-0 with an own goal by Fallon.

In the second match, they were held to a 2-2 draw as goals by Machen and Andrew were cancelled out by Burton Stone's Parker and Cocker.

College of Law made up ground as goals by Cronin, Turner and Dunphy gave them a 3-2 win against Clifton Rangers, whose goals came from Tom Heath and Jamie Iles.

Rawcliffe collected six points by doing the double over Bubwith Hunters, winning the first game 6-1 with goals from Huby (2), Parrott, Cope and Martin. Bubwith's consolation came from Morton.

The Goole-based side won the second encounter 2-0 with Cope and Huby on target.

Yearsley Grove's relegation worries increased as they lost 6-2 to Black Dog Camblesforth with two goals apiece for Jackson, Newlove and Gaynor.

Updated: 12:39 Friday, April 27, 2001