Buzzing Wasps tame Cougars

Constant threat: Wasps' second row Chris Judge (left)

Twisted ankle: Richard Goddard

York Wasps once again came up with the goods to tame Keighley Cougars and serve another warning to their Northern Ford Premiership rivals that there is plenty of sting in their tail.

Two league wins from three - just a narrow defeat at Leigh the only blot on the copybook - and a top class showing against Super League Castleford have turned 1999 into a year of real promise for the Wasps.

Yesterday's magnificent effort in the energy-sapping Cougar Park mud showed York have the most important quality needed in play-off hopefuls - a rock solid defence.

It wasn't flash, it certainly wasn't pretty, but this was all about grinding out a result.

Prop Steve Hill led the way with some barnstorming runs to make vital yardage.

And Peter Edwards was the cornerstone of the defence, hitting the Keighley attack with force and regularity.

Chris Judge was a constant threat in the second row, while substitute Lea Tichener showed he is almost back to his best.

It was never going to be a game to suit the backs, but full back Jamie Benn once again came out with credit against another former club, just a week after winning man of the match against his ex-Castleford team-mates.

Benn's return to the ground where he spent six matches on loan last season was greeted with boos from the home fans, no doubt still angry that he opted to return to York after reportedly agreeing to sign for Keighley.

But he answered them in the best possible way with a competent display which included a try and the match-winning goal.

It was a last ditch tackle by the full back on his opposite number Karl Smith which halted the first Keighley attack inches short of the line. But as the ball was moved across he was powerless to prevent wingman Stuart Calvert going in at the corner on the last tackle.

It was too far out for Martin Wood to convert, and ultimately his missed kicks would prove the difference.

York were guilty of being over-eager in the early stages, and were hammered in the penalty count by referee Paul Lee.

Keighley failed to take advantage though, and another kick by Wood missed the target.

Leigh Deakin set up York's first chance after half an hour. After a fine break down the left wing, he released Benn who was brought down just short of the line.

On the last tackle, Pallister dived over from acting half but was held up over the line.

The Wasps were made to pay three minutes later when Keighley scored their second after Benn's only mistake of the game.

He dived on the ball behind his own line after a kick through by Wood but it squirmed free and Dave Larder leaped on the loose ball to claim the try.

It left Wood with a relatively simple kick just to the right of the posts but again he missed the target.

Right on half-time the Wasps finally breached the Cougars defence. Lambert burst onto a Benn pass 15 metres out and found the space to race over near the corner.

Benn missed the extras with the last kick of the half.

Too many errors and penalties would have left York further behind against a better side.

But Keighley's chance to punish the Wasps had gone as they cut out the mistakes, cut down on the penalties and played a more controlled game after the break.

The Cougars still had most of the possession but now they were playing up the slope and found it impossible to breach York's defensive wall.

Chances were few and far between but it was the Wasps who claimed the vital score.

It came ten minutes into the half and showed the Wasps at their attacking best.

Cain for once found a hole in the defence and laid the ball on to Shaun Austerfield who found Jamie Benn on his right shoulder to touch down just to the left of the uprights.

This time Benn made no mistake with conversion and put the Wasps ahead for the first time.

Thanks to a fantastic defensive effort for the last half an hour, it was a lead they were able to hang onto as they recorded their first away win against Keighley since their record 70-6 success almost nine years to the day.

Robinson hails magnificent York defence

Richard Goddard was the only casualty as York once again escaped from a bruising encounter with little damage, writes Dianne Hillaby.

Coach Dean Robinson revealed the centre had twisted an ankle on the morning of the match during the usual light training session at Huntington Stadium.

Goddard managed to start the game, but was taken off after 25 minutes to be replaced by Chris Hopcutt.

"We iced his ankle on the journey. He reported he wasn't 100 per cent happy but I decided to continue as we were because I thought it more prudent to risk it than change the side. And if he had any problems I knew we had Chris Hopcutt on the bench to come on as a straight swap," explained Robinson.

The extent of the injury will not be known until it is assessed this week, but he will be the only player needing treatment ahead of next Sunday's home game with Swinton.

Robinson confirmed top try-scorer Leigh Deakin had not been injured despite the surprising decision to take him off midway through the second half.

The Wasps coach was full of praise for his side's efforts in terrible conditions which had put paid to any hopes of entertaining rugby.

He said: "We knew as soon as we saw the pitch it wasn't going to be a pretty game and it was the side who controlled the football, played smart and defended well that would win the day.

"Our defence was superb, particularly in the second half. We let Ramshaw dictate in the first half, the markers were slow getting to their feet which wasn't surprising playing uphill. But going down-hill we curtailed the forwards and Ramshaw became pedestrian."

Robinson picked out Matt Lambert's try on the stroke of half-time as the major turning point.

"We won the toss and decided to play uphill. I would have been more than happy keeping them to the one try, but we let ourselves down for the second. I would have been disappointed to have gone in 8-0 down but then Matt Lambert's try lifted us. We knew playing down the slope in the second half we could win it.

"We came here for the victory. We wanted the two points to keep us in the top five and that's exactly what we've done."Keighley's second two-point defeat in succession - they lost their last game at Bramley 14-12 - has left their disgruntled fans calling for the head of coach Lee Crooks.

It was a poor performance from a Cougars side expected to achieve big things this season but Crooks refused to criticise his players.

He said: "We defended well for the majority of the game but we got punished for two lapses. The conditions dictated that it wouldn't be an open flowing game of rugby and the supporters have to realise how hard it was.

"Both sides scored two tries but to York's credit they kicked the goal which won the game.

"The effort from the players was very good. We've had most of the territorial possession but we have to start turning possession into points."

Wasps Match Facts

Northern Ford Premiership, at Cougar Park

Keighley Cougars 8

Karl Smith, Stuart Calvert, Chris Wainwright, Jason Laurence, Jason Lee, Martin Wood, Nathan Antonik, Alex Smits, Jason Ramshaw, Steve Campbell, Mark Campbell, Andrew Schick, Dave Larder. Subs: Chris Robinson (for Larder 53), Pat Rich (Lee 40), Phil Stephenson (S Campbell 40), Steve Hall (Smits 27) Re-subs: Smits (for Hall 64)

Scrums: 6. Penalties: 13.

York Wasps 10

Jamie Benn 7, Iefata Sini 6, Richard Goddard 6, Shaun Austerfield 7, Leigh Deakin 6, Mark Cain 7, John Strange 6, Craig Booth 7, Alan Pallister 7, Steve Hill 8, Chris Judge 7, Matt Lambert 7, Peter Edwards 7. Subs: Darren Callaghan (for Deakin 60) 6, Mick Ramsden (Pallister 64) 6, Chris Hopcutt (Goddard 27) 6, Lea Tichener (Booth 25) 7. Re-subs: Booth (for Hill 67), Hill (for Tichener 73)

Scrums: 6. Penalties: 5

H/T: 8-4

Ref: Paul Lee (Leigh)

Attendance: 1878

Match rating: 6/10

Weather: Very cold, very wet

The Evening Press Man of the Match

Steve Hill: Recovered from a chest infection to have an absolute stormer. Made important yards with some driving runs in tiring conditions. Also did his share of tackling when it mattered

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.