YORK Wasps coach Leo Epifania is calling for his beleaguered squad to stand on their own two feet ahead of tomorrow's crunch clash with Chorley Lynx.

Basic errors in both attack and defence have blighted the Wasps' game this season, with them lying winless at the bottom of the Northern Ford Premiership table.

And after little more than four months of working with the players, Epifania believes he has shown them the techniques that they have to take into games.

"The players have to take responsibility on the field," he said. "I've taught them all they need to know football-wise in terms of technique in training, but they have to now take that into games.

"A good footballer - your champions and internationals - are taught things on the training ground and use it in a game on a Sunday and we need to do that.

"The players need to be more comfortable and hungry to take what they've been taught and use it in the game.

"It is always difficult when you are losing, but it is a chain reaction.

"There has to come a point when they get rid of the rubbish in our game - regardless of whether we are winning or losing - and get into the habit of doing things a certain way."

Epifania admits he has worked on eradicating the missed tackles which have plagued his side, but added there is little he can do about the handling errors.

"It is up to the players whether or not they give a pass or not," he added. "They have to concentrate when they've got the ball in hand.

"Individual errors are for the players to sort out and I've got to get it into them not to give the ball away.

"They have got to have the feeling inside that the ball is precious and it shouldn't be given away - unless they are not upset at dropping it..."

The Wasps hopes of gaining their first victory of the league season from the visit of Chorley will not be helped by the loss of three - and possibly four - key players.

Shaun Austerfield (knee) and Carl Barrow (back) are ruled out with injury, while Jonny Liddell serves a one-match ban.

Influential centre Carl Hall could also miss out with a leg injury, with Rob Lee on standby to replace him in the centres.

The loss of Liddell has forced Epifania to move Jamie Benn up from full-back to stand-off, with Ben Sorbello filling the No 1 shirt.

Leigh Deakin will start on the wing, with Ian Kirke coming in at second row. There is also a first start of the season for hooker Alan Pallister, with Kiwi hooker Peter Edwards switching to loose-forward.

LEEDS Rhinos were left shell-shocked after their stunning six-try 38-6 defeat by Hull in last night's Tetley's Bitter Super League fixtures.

Paul Cooke and Sean Ryan scored two tries apiece, before Leeds pulled one back through Marcus St Hilaire.

However, when Leeds hooker Matt Diskin was red-carded for a late tackle, Hull ran in further scores from Richard Horne and Gareth Raynor.

St Helens were also victorious, beating Salford City Reds 34-2.

Play The Ball - Page 41

Updated: 10:55 Saturday, March 09, 2002