YORK Wasps coach Leo Epifania has issued a rallying call to his players ahead of tomorrow's trip to Dewsbury Rams.

The Wasps travel on the back of last week's morale-sapping defeat to Hunslet, which increased the club record losing run to 27 Northern Ford Premiership games and left them bottom of the table with no points from eight attempts.

However, despite suffering several setbacks during his time at the Wasps' helm, Epifania has faith that matters will improve.

"I thoroughly believe that things are going to turn around," he told the Evening Press.

"When it eventually does happen, everyone will appreciate the tough times we went through.

"Things are pretty difficult for us at the moment, but we've got to keep our heads up and keep fighting."

Although Epifania has reiterated the need to improve the squad, he still reckons his present team can be good enough to get results, starting tomorrow.

"We go out to beat everyone we play," he said. "If we give 100 per cent and give ourselves some chance of winning, that's all I can ask.

"I wasn't at all happy with the performance last week but I said then that we can be a much better team than we showed.

"I want the boys to walk off the pitch and be able to say they've had a hard crack at it and given it all they've got, and that they've played to their optimum. I don't think I got that last week."

The Rams, despite being in financial turmoil before the start of the season, have managed to keep a good squad and recent results have propelled them into mid-table. Indeed, last week they hammered struggling Swinton Lions 75-12 at Gigg Lane, and they will start as big favourites.

But Epifania said: "I never go into games thinking we will lose. I want us to give everything we've got, improve our performance and for the guys to prove themselves."

The Aussie has been boosted by the rapid return of second row Leigh Deakin, who will start the game on the bench.

The 29-year-old suffered a fractured jaw in the match against Rochdale on January 20 and was expected to be out for up to two months, but doctors have already given him the all-clear.

Epifania has made a few more changes following last week's 14-9 defeat.

Two are enforced as Shaun Austerfield, who limped off with a knee injury last week, is ruled out, as is forward Carl Barrow, who took a bang to the back.

However, Rob Lee is fit, after missing last week's trip with ankle trouble, and comes in at loose-forward, while Craig Moore replaces Austerfield in the centre.

Mark Cain switches back to scrum-half with Scott Yeaman dropping to the bench, while Mick Docherty moves into the second row, with Andy Precious starting at prop.

Work and family commitments have again kept Andy Hutchinson out of the picture.

Rams coach Andy Fisher is without marauding prop Frank Watene and young scrum-half Danny Brough, both banned, and quality stand-off Davide Longo, who has a broken thumb. Paul Hicks is the likely stand-in for Watene.

Meanwhile, utility back Mike Grady has left the Wasps. The Widnes-based youngster found the travelling difficult and came to a mutual agreement with the club to be released from his contract.

Grady made two appearances for Wasps. He was on the bench for the opening game against Whitehaven and started against Barrow the following week.

Updated: 11:08 Saturday, March 02, 2002