Several York officials worked extremely hard all Saturday morning to ensure the match took place but received scant reward when their team lost 9-5 to Leeds rivals West Park.

As a table-proppers clash, this defeat leaves the home side four points adrift at the foot of the table. Failing an influx of two or three influential players there now seems no escape for the Clifton Park side even though more than half the season remains.

Inevitably, in the conditions, the start was scrappy with both sides having kicks charged down and suffering handling errors as they adapted to the heavier conditions.

As the match settled down, the opposition forwards began to impose a sort of control on York.

Their close, hard driving style was no surprise to the home spectators as the Leeds side is coached by Peter Nash, who held a similar position at York in their successes of the mid nineties.

Fortunately for York, West Park frequently incurred the displeasure of referee Fraser. York cleared either through the boot of new Australian fly-half Dirk Mulder, or, on occasions, through sniping tap penalties from teenage scrum half James Arkle, who improves with every match and is at the heart of most of York's best moments.

After 20 minutes Park's fly half Matthew Stevens kicked his side deep into York territory and York conceded an offside penalty which Stevens converted.

Arkle worked York back to the Park 22 where they earned a penalty attempt, but it was too wide out for Mulder to convert.

Centres Sean Bass and Stuart Davies gave a glimpse of what York's outsides might achieve when sent on a sortie by Arkle from a tap penalty.

However, with five minutes to the break, York were sent further behind in unfortunate circumstances. Park's Stevens seemed to knock on but play was allowed to continue and the visitors were awarded a penalty which Stevens converted.

Despite the forward strength of the Leeds team it was not beyond hope that York would snatch victory in the second half as their defence was holding well and their opponents did not appear to have great scoring potential. However, the tactical aptitude was missing.

Stevens, for Park, employed towering kicks in front of his forwards to oblige York to play backwards whereas York kicked long, inevitably conceding hard won possession.

Similarly, York did not counter the fast-closing Park defence with the short chip kick. Play became frustratingly featureless until Stevens put a further nail into York when he kicked another good penalty from 30 metres.

Ed Bennison, on at centre for York, cleverly put right winger Matt Liddle on a run and a few minutes later the same players combined to send Tom Heppleston on a run on the other wing.

With little more of the injury time remaining, York's pressure earned a penalty for lying on the ball but Mulder did not have the strength of kick to convert from wide out.

York got a late reward when a sweeping handling move put Heppleston over in the corner for an unconverted try. The referee blew for time and York's hopes evaporated.