York Wasps coach Dean Robinson is hoping that he will have an important trio on duty as his side look to get back on track against Rochdale Hornets at Spotland next Sunday.

ON THE COMEBACK TRAIL: Wasps' Andy Hill

Robinson, whose side were well beaten 30-6 by last season's Grand Final winners Hunslet Hawks at South Leeds Stadium on Sunday, will be praying that skipper Paul Darley, who has been ill, and injury victims Andy Hill and Rob Lee will be fit to face the Hornets.

Hill has yet to play a part this term after taking a knock in the pre-season clash with Hunslet and new signing Lee, who signed from Hull in the close season, is battling for full fitness after breaking his ribs on his debut in the opening day home reversal at the hands of Doncaster Dragons.

"Hopefully we should have Paul Darley fit again, I am expecting that Andy Hill will make his first appearance of the campaign and we should be in a position where we can bring back Rob Lee after he damaged his ribs in our first game," explained Robinson.

"Obviously these are players that we have missed and we need to get players back as the 17 we selected for the Hunslet game were the only players we had available."

Robinson will also be hoping to have Australian centre Andrew Lambert back in the fold, but Robinson was not expecting the player to return in time for the trip to Rochdale.

The club allowed Lambert to fly back to Australia when his mother was taken critically ill and the Wasps have been led to believe that she died over the weekend and Robinson felt that Lambert must be given what time he needed.

"Obviously we missed Andrew and we are hopeful we will have him back from Australia in the not too distant future," said Robinson.

"But he probably won't be back for next weekend and we are happy for him to stay over there until he has got things sorted out back home. There are some things that are much more important than rugby league."

Robinson was confident that hooker Gareth Dobson, one of a clutch of players to impress at the South Leeds Stadium, would be fit.

Dobson took a big hit after 56 minutes of the clash against Hunslet and looked to be struggling with a shoulder injury, despite soldiering on.

"Gareth took a bit of a bang on the shoulder but it shouldn't keep him out of the game next week," said Robinson.

Robinson will be looking for an improvement throughout his team's performance at Rochdale after focusing on three or four players who he felt under-achieved against Hunslet.

"I was definitely not happy about the amount of possession that we gave up, but when you are doing that much defending and scrambling to cover because certain players are missing so many tackles, it takes it's toll," said Robinson.

"Obviously defending like that saps the energy and also on a psychological basis people who are having a bad patch find it harder to raise their game.

"When they are the players you need to put you back in the game when we have the ball it is not much use when their response is to stand around lamenting their past indiscretions rather than getting on with the game.

"There were some good performances from half a dozen or so of our players at Hunslet, but the rest were just below par and there were three or four of them that I was not happy with in the slightest."

Tigers to pounce on trio of ex-Wasps

Three former York Wasps players are on the brink of stepping up to Super League with Castleford Tigers.

Jamie Benn, Rich Goddard and Craig Wright are all expected to be offered contracts this week after impressing in trial matches against Wakefield Trinity and Leeds Rhinos.

Goal-kicking ace Benn, who was unable to agree terms with York after a starring role last season, is believed to have turned down a move to Rotherham Rugby Union Club.

He looks set to be joined at Wheldon Road by Wright, who played for York in 1997, and centre or loose forward Goddard.

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