York Wasps suffered their heaviest league reversal of the season and must have been left wondering what went wrong as they were blitzed by ten second half tries.

Rarely can there have been two more contrasting halves as Wasps fought tooth and nail in the opening period and were well in touch at half-time only six points adrift.

However, that was all to change as injuries and tiredness took their toll on the Wasps' beleaguered side and the Dragons began to run in tries at will as their opponents defence melted in the heat.

Certainly the Wasps could present a list of excuses as long as your arm as first prop Mick Hagan left the field with a back problem, then centre Andy Preston failed to reappear for the second half with a suspected broken wrist and finally full-back John McCracken succumbed to a head injury.

But the contrast between the Wasps of the first 40 minutes, when they visibly rattled the Dragons with their all action display, and the second period was quite astounding.

Unforced errors added to their misery and as they gifted Doncaster possession time and again the Wasps found the pressure too much and what started as a trickle became a veritable tidal wave as the Dragons breathed fire and threatened to match their 15 try haul of the previous week against Lancashire Lynx.

The first half was a stirring contest with Wasps having to defend in the early stages but did so tenaciously with hooker Allan Pallister and his pack working their socks off.

On ten minutes they conceded a try but Dragons stand-off Craig Weston had to conjure up something special to beat their defence with a stunning pass that missed three men and gave winger Steve Booth a clear run to the corner.

Weston failed with the goal attempt and the Wasps retorted within six minutes when second rower Andy Precious booted the ball between the posts from a penalty following a high tackle.

On 22 minutes York were ahead when the ever eager Gareth Dobson managed to flip the ball out in the tackle and centre Kevin Gray was on hand to cut through for a touchdown to which Precious added the goal.

Doncaster were struggling to find their rhythm as they spilled the ball regularly in their urgency to get back on terms, but six minutes from half-time Weston was again the key figure as his pass found Tony Miller who in turn gave Booth his second easy run to the line and Weston put the home side ahead with the kick.

Two minutes from half-time full-back Lynton Stott made all the difference as he joined the line and sent centre Carl Hall in for a comfortable score but Weston failed with the kick and there was every reason at just six points behind York could come back.

Then came the turning point as York's Paul Darley and Doncaster's Rob Wilson traded punches and, while concentration was lost, the Dragons plundered a try with Latham Tawhai's kick through leading to Weston winning the race to touchdown and then add the goal.

All of a sudden the gap was 12 points and both sides were down to 12 men as Huddersfield referee Colin Morris returned to make his judgement on the original fracas and sent both Darley and Wilson to the sin-bin.

The space created suited the Dragons and inside four minutes Doncaster added two more tries as first York old boy Fata Sini took a Tawhai pass and cut inside to beat the last man on his way to the line and then Stott joined the line for an easy finish.

The Wasps wall had been breached and from then on it became a procession as Doncaster, looking a good deal more relaxed, turned on the style.

Weston went on to complete his hat-trick, while Tawhai, substitute Mick Coult, and Stott all took the chance to add to their try haul, while Weston took his goal tally to nine.

By the end York were struggling to make in-roads into the Dragons' half and were looking a sorry outfit, which was such a shame after they had promised so much.

York-based players Dan Potter and Alex Godfrey scored tries for Dewsbury, whose 45-10 win over Batley kept them on top of the Northern Ford Premiership.

Doncaster's victory over York saw them move into second spot ahead of Leigh, who were beaten 28-16 at Widnes.

Northern Ford Premiership Friday, April 21, at Belle Vue

Doncaster 70, York 8

YORK WASPS: John McCracken 6, Matt Woodcock 5, Andy Preston 6, Kevin Gray 6, Max Ryce 6, Craig Robinson 5, Gareth Dobson 7, Mick Hagan 6, Allan Pallister 8, Steve Hill 7, Chris Judge 7, Andrew Precious 6, Paul Darley 5.

Subs: Leroy McKenzie (for Preston half-time, 6), Lea Titchner (for McCracken 48, 6), Dean Thomas (not used), Craig Forsyth (for Hagan 31, 6).

Blood-bin: Titchner for Hill (37)

Tries: Gray (18)

Goals: Precious (2).

Guildford Construction/ Evening Press Man of the Match

Allan Pallister: Led the charge when Wasps were in the ascedancy and never stopped fighting when their backs were to the wall

DONCASTER: Lynton Stott, Steve Booth, Carl Hall, James Bunyan, Fata Sini, Craig Weston, Latham Tawhai, Asa Amone, Peter Edwards, Casil Richards, Rob Wilson, Tony Miller, Colin Carter.

Subs: Mick Coult (for Miller 56), Carl Gillespie (for Carter 43), Joe Berry (for Richards 26), Gavin Morgan (for Amone 64).

Re-subs: Miller for Stott 57

Tries: Booth (10, 34), Hall (38), Weston (46, 65, 70), Sini (50), Stott (52, 56), Copult (64, 80), Tawhai (68, 75)

Goals: Weston 9

Doncaster York

Penalties: 10 6

Scrums won: 8 13

40/20 kicks: 0 0

Half-time: 14 8

Referee: Colin Morris (Huddersfield)

Attendance: 1,379

Match rating: 7/10

York's next match: Monday, April 24, v Keighley at Huntington Stadium, 3pm kick-off