IF York Wasps improve every week as much as in these last seven days, then a top half position come the end of the season will be a dead cert.

Okay, they might have lost, but the difference between the team who were pipped by Batley today and that which collapsed at Barrow last week was almost astounding.

Batley may not be the best team in the Northern Ford Premiership but there are many sides worse and, although Wasps are still bottom of the pile, they can look forward to the forthcoming games with renewed hope.

Indeed, a similar step up between now and the Boxing Day clash at Hunslet would most probably see Leo Epifania's men register their first league points of the campaign and begin their ascent of the table.

There were only a few changes in personnel and how much of a difference they made individually is hard to tell.

Fit-again captain Peter Edwards was definitely an added inspiration, while Shaun Austerfield, who also missed the 66-0 defeat at Barrow last week, came back with a bang, with a try in either half. Rob Lee also started his first game back at the club, while new-boy Ian Kirke was joined by another midweek signing, Carl Barren, on the bench.

What was perhaps most notable, however, was the improvement in scrum-half Mark Cain, who had by far his best game since returning to Huntington Stadium. He scored a fine individual try, had a big hand in Austerfield's brace and threatened the Batley line time and again.

When York kicked off by booting the ball straight out and then giving away a first-minute penalty for offside which Dean Lawford goaled, things looked bleak.

But rather than let heads drop, the Wasps fought back and could have equalised when Mick Docherty - who had another barnstorming display at prop - missed a penalty from 35 yards.

Two minutes later, though, they were ahead. Batley were twice penalised giving York a set of six 20 yards out, and Cain took advantage by side-stepping one man and powering past two more to crash over. Docherty converted.

On 23 minutes, Gavin Molloy just failed to get on the end of a Jon Liddell kick, but three minutes later, York did score again.

Cain made himself available for Liddell and created space for Molloy to attack. He fed Hall who in turn fed Austerfield to finish it off. Docherty converted.

However, Batley were to come back in the second half, and the try they scored eight minutes before the break was crucial to get them back into it, Ryan Horsley taking a short pass from Mark Cass to touch down, Lawford converting.

Two minutes before the break, Docherty missed a penalty straight in front of the posts about 38 yards out, but Lawford returned the favour when he fired wide an easy penalty from ten yards.

That miss could have inspired York, but instead it was Batley who came out for the second half with renewed vigour, taking the lead with two tries, albeit with some help from referee Steve Addy.

Glen Tomlinson's bomb was fielded unchallenged in front of the posts and Horsley took the scoring pass, Lawford adding the extras.

However, Batley had been handed the field position by a harsh penalty for offside, and another penalty awarded by the keen whistle-blower for laying-on preceded Paul Gleadhill's touchdown.

Now 12-20 down, York again fought back.

Gleadhill had a lot of space ahead of him when he picked up a loose ball on the right, but he knocked on and, from the scrum, Cain made the break superbly and fed Austerfield to run round behind the posts for an easy conversion.

Another fine run by Cain saw Carl Hall on the charge but he was held up 20 yards short, and however hard York tried, the Batley line remained intact for the rest of the game.

With ten minutes left, Tomlinson kicked a field goal to leave York needing a try to take any points from the game and in the last minute, Lawford did likewise to round off the scoring.

York Wasps: Sorbello 7, Mulholland 6, Austerfield 7, Hall 7, Molloy 6, Liddell 6, Cain 8, Precious 7, Edwards 7, Docherty 7, Deakin 6, Ramsden 6, Lee 6. Subs used: Barron -, Kirke 6, Crake 6. Subs not used: Waite.

T: Cain (15), Austerfield (26, 56). C: Docherty 3.

Wasps' man of the match: Mark Cain - scored one try and set up the other two, and always threatened with ball in hand.

Batley Bulldogs: Gibson, North, Maun, Smith, Gleadhil, Tomlinson, Lawford, Wright, Leek, Spink, Rourke, Harrison, Horsley. Subs used: Cass, S Molloy. Subs not used: Cartledge, Nadiole.

T: Horsley (32, 45), Gleadhill (52). C: Lawford 3. P: Lawford (1). DG: Tomlinson (70), Lawford (80).

Referee: Steve Addy (Huddersfield). Attendance: 531.