DERWENT Park was the venue for York Wasps' last-ever game, two seasons ago.

They were hammered 60-4, a sorry ending to a sorry final few years.

The turnaround in York RL since then has been startling, and could be summed up in the car park before yesterday's game.

Back then, the number of fans who made the trip to west Cumbria could be counted on the fingers of Captain Hook's hands.

Yesterday, the Supporters' Club bus was over-subscribed, cars adorned with Knights stickers were in abundance and for a time the York white and blue swamped the Workington white and blue. As usual, Knights followers also took over the 'home' bar and it all helped swell Workington's attendance into four figures for only the second time this year.

The bad news is that on this occasion they would have been better off staying at home. Or at least stopping in the Lake District.

The Knights were hammered 44-20 - the club's heaviest-ever league defeat - in what would rank among the shocks of the season.

Richard Agar's men travelled as National League Two leaders while Workington were not even in the play-off picture. But that lowly spot belied the hosts' new-found ability, with new signings and fit-again players forging a team that will surely climb the table quickly.

They began as if they meant business, with Matthew Woodcock being superbly held up by Scott Rhodes only for Jonny Limmer to end the early pressure by barging through.

York gained little initiative in the fierce midfield battle that ensued and, while it wasn't through a lack of effort, the Knights were out-enthused, perhaps suffering a touch of complacency, which is always difficult to shake off mid-game.

They were also hampered by an early injury to scrum-half Danny Brough, who had to leave the field for a time and struggled to make an impact throughout, while opposite number Tane Manihera took the plaudits.

The veteran added a penalty before York got on the scoresheet thanks to a trademark Rhodes try. A rare mistake by impressive home full-back Lusi Sione gave the Knights a scrum 15 yards out and from that Rhodes embarked on an arced run, pressing the turbo to reach the line.

But rather than grasp the nettle, the Knights handed back the initiative, and their under-par defence, at times appearing as impenetrable as David James in a shoot-out, was unable to cope.

A blooper by Scott Walker, unnecessarily giving away a drop-out, gave Town a new lift and a penalty for reefing saw Manihera make it 10-4.

The next penalty proved more costly, as referee Matthew Thomason, fed up by the holding down by both sides, sin-binned the unlucky Craig Forsyth. And Workington - and Manihera in particular - made ample use of the extra man.

His magical back-door pass allowed David Pettitt to stroll under the sticks, and the scrum-half then created the next try with a brilliant long pass which allowed Neil Frazer to reach the corner.

It soon got worse as speedy hooker Limmer's scamper upfield left the defence at sixes and sevens and the ball again went right where Frazer again had the space to cross.

Trailing 26-4, the Knights needed the chance to regroup, but on a day when many things were ill-timed, even the hooter came at the wrong point as York were on a rare attack.

The team-talk had no immediate effect either, as Workington loose-forward Brett Smith crossed soon after the restart.

At last, though, York began to eke out some pressure. Yusuf Sozi was held up over the line but in his next drive blasted through two tackles to score.

The comeback, however, was quickly stopped in its tracks. Manihera was the main man again, with a deft little pass to Sione, who put Matthew Tunstall behind the sticks.

Ball hit back with a wonderful weaving run to the line - a try that was too good for the team's performance - and Brough converted as at least the Knights gave a much-improved second-half display.

They were also perhaps unlucky that referee Thomason did not even things up with a yellow card for Town's own persistent holding down, but in truth that is a minor gripe.

Austin Buchanan and Aaron Wood had tries rightly ruled out for forward passes before Dale Cardoza - the new recruit showed flashes of his potential - broke from the scrum to send Ball into the corner for his second, Brough converting well.

However, the Knights couldn't even have the last say as Ball ruined his fine performance by failing to control the restart, with Smith pouncing for his second try and Manihera adding his sixth conversion.

Match facts:

LHF Healthcare

National League Division 2

Sunday, July 4, 2004

at Workington

Workington: Sione, Woodcock, Frazer, M Wilson, Chilton, Boylan, Manihera, Tunstall, Limmer, Burgess, Robinson, Tuimaualuga, B Smith. Subs (all used): Lewthwaite, McGlasson, Bragg, Pettitt.

Tries: Limmer 7, Pettitt 31, Frazer 35, 37, B Smith 43, 80, Tunstall 65.

Conversions: Manihera 7, 31, 35, 43, 58, 80.

Penalties: Manihera 19, 27.

Drop goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Knights: Graham 6, Buchanan 6, Langley 6, Wood 6, Walker 6, Rhodes 7, Brough 6, R Wilson 6, Jackson 6, Sozi 7, J Smith 6, Friend 6, Ball 7. Subs (all used): Wainhouse 6, Cain 6, Cardoza 6, Forsyth 5.

Tries: Rhodes 23, Sozi 50, Ball 67, 78.

Conversions: Brough 67, 78.

Penalties: None.

Drop goals: None.

Sin-binned: Forsyth 29.

Sent off: None.

Man of the match:

Damian Ball - late mistake aside, he was one of the few Knights to stand out, never stopping to drive forward and coming up with two fine tries.

HT: 26-4

Referee: Matthew Thomason (Warrington)

Rating: Okay

Penalty count: 11-12

Gamebreaker: The three tries while York were down to 12 men ten minutes before half time.

Attendance: 1,020.

Weather watch: Fresh sunshine

Match rating: Excellent - but only for the Workington fans.

Updated: 09:49 Monday, July 05, 2004