York Wasps coach Dean Robinson will be glad that there is a light glimmering at the end of the tunnel on the injury front after another frustrating display.

TOUGH GOING: Wasps scrum half Darren Callaghan found he had his hands full dealing with Hunslet's two-try hero Johan Windley

With at least three long term casualties heading back to fitness Robinson will be redrawing his plans after the Wasps showed little sting against a Hawks side who themselves seemed out of sorts.

This was not a contest that could ever be used as an advert for rugby league.

The first half saw both sides produce one handling error upon another and defences were on top, though the demands placed upon them were not exactly stressful.

With Hawks four points up at half-time the game could only get better and when it was the home side who made the improvement York had no answers.

It highlighted a midfield deficiency for Wasps where half backs Mark Cain and Darren Callaghan, who had been bright enough at times in the first quarter, suddenly found themselves playing second fiddle to the Hawks pairing.

Stand off Carl Briggs, an ex-Super League servant of both Halifax Blue Sox and Sheffield Eagles, had been dangerous throughout and continued to probe but when ex-Hull Sharks scrum half Johan Windley kicked up a gear it made all the difference.

Windley ended up scoring two tries and creating one other as the Wasps, who were well served by their pack and winger Leroy McKenzie, found that they could just not compete at a consistently high enough tempo to stop the inevitable from unfolding.

They could have been forgiven for being lulled into thinking that what they had produced in the first 40 minutes would be sufficient given the poverty of the contest.

So disjointed was the opening period that the first real scoring chance did not present itself until 13 minutes when York pressed only to have loose forward Spencer Hargrave blocked out at one corner and then, three plays later, found there was no room for McKenzie to try and scuttle in by the opposing flag.

When Hunslet gained the lead six minutes later it came from the first genuine piece of enterprise shown with second rower Jim Leatham's slipped pass giving full-back Dean Hanger enough room to get over the line, though it had to be said that trialist Carl Paterson's failure to deal with a bouncing ball had gifted Hunslet possession from a scrum deep in Wasps territory to set up the attack, while Chris Ross pulled his kick wide.

York tried to get on terms but one particular move, which saw Callaghan and Cain link well to put Hargrave on a charge to the line only for him to be caught and then lose possession to Hawks centre Graeme Hallas as he tried to force a pass out, really epitomised a pattern that saw the Wasps undo their own best endeavours.

As the half came to a close it was the angled kicking of Briggs towards the York line that posed he biggest test of the Wasps' defensive abilities but first second rower Chris Judge and then full-back Andy Preston were alert enough to avert any real danger.

The second half showed little signs of any change immediately but slowly Hunslet began to get their game together and eight minutes into the half Hanger made another dangerous run only for his pass inside to go to ground, the Hawks full-back being injured as he tried to release in the tackle and he was carried from the field.

It was three minutes later that Windley, beginning to add menace to his midfield promptings, changed the course of the game as he spun out of one weak challenge and then out-paced the cover to score and Ross this time thumped his kick between the posts.

Soon after a break by Hallas was wasted when Dave King, normally a forward but operating at centre due to injuries, put the pass to ground with the line begging.

But the Hawks did not have to wait long for their next score as on 54 minutes pressure led to centre Darren Hughes finding a path through from less than ten yards out and Ross added the extras.

A further Ross penalty when York were caught offside added to the visitors' woes and they were fortunate that McKenzie was on top of his game on 61 minutes when he managed to get hold of Briggs angled bomb behind his own line as two Hawks raiders were ready to pounce on the slightest slip.

York managed to break out after this incursion and lifted their spirits momentarily when Craig Booth, who like his fellow forwards grafted selflessly all game, made the most of the position set up by Judge's drive to the line by blistering over and substitute Kevin Gray added the goal.

It was to be their only highlight as soon after hooker Gareth Dobson took a blow to the shoulder and was reduced in his effectiveness and Hunslet made the most of the gaps appearing in their rivals defence with Hallas' neat ball putting Windley on his way to a second try on 69 minutes, Ross again hit the target.

McKenzie went close to topping his good display with a try but was bundled into touch a yard short of getting the ball over the Hawks line and then Hayes, impressing against his old club, was halted just short and the position was wasted as substitute Alan Pallister lost the ball as he tried to force his way over from acting half back.

With a mere two minute remaining tempers were lost and punches were traded but referee Ian Smith settled for a calming lecture to the skippers and an on report decision that may have Hawks' substitute Philip Kennedy sweating on what was caught on video.

Two minutes later it all boiled over again, which seemed a little daft as the result was academic, and with four minutes gone in injury time Hunslet added six more points as Windley pounced on a York fumbled and sent winger Aaron Campbell in at the corner, Ross thumping over the kick from a tough angle.

It was just insult added to injury for the sadly under par Wasps.

Northern Ford PremiershipSunday, January 16, at South Leeds Stadium

Hunslet Hawks 30, York Wasps 6York Wasps: Andy Preston 6; Leroy McKenzie 7, Garry Atkins 6 (Alan Pallister 50 mins, 6), Shaun Austerfield 5, Carl Paterson 5 (Kevin Gray 61 mins, 6); Mark Cain 6, Darren Callaghan 6 (John McCracken 52 mins, 6); Rich Hayes 8 (Lea Titchener 28 mins, 6), Gareth Dobson 7, Steve Hill 7, Chris Judge 6, Craig Booth 7, Spencer Hargrave 7.

Re-subs: Hayes for Titchener (45 mins), Callaghan for Judge (73 mins).

Try: Booth (63 mins).

Goal: Gray.

Star player: Rich Hayes - Always looked to power forward against his old club, grafted hard in defence and acted as the team's inspiration when times got hard.Hunslet Hawks: Dean Hanger; Chris Ross, Graeme Hallas, Darren Hughes, Aaron Campbell; Carl Briggs, Johan Windley; James Walker (Philip Kennedy 13 mins), Richard Pachniuk (Dave Jessey 62 mins), Dave King (Steve Pryce 26 mins), Jim Leatham, Jamie Leighton (Mick Coyle 41 mins), Shaun Irwin.

Re-subs: King for Hallas (47 mins), Hallas for Hanger (50 mins).

Blood-bin: Coyle for Leighton (2 mins, returned 5 mins), Coyle for Irwin (14 mins, returned 19 mins).

Tries: Hanger (19 mins), Windley (51 mins), Hughes (54 mins), Windley (69 mins), Campbell (80 mins).

Goals: Ross (4).

Penalty: Ross (56 mins).

Match statistics

Penalties: Hunslet 9, York 12.

Scrums: Hunslet 7, York 8.40/20

kicks: Hunslet 0, York 0.Half-time 4-0.

Referee: Ian Smith (Oldham).

Attendance: 997.

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