YORK Wasps' hopes of gaining some Christ-mas cheer were boosted this week by the apparent return to form of Mark Cain.

The scrum-half enjoyed his best game of the season in the narrow defeat by Batley, winning not only the Evening Press man of the match accolades but also high praise from boss Leo Epifania.

The Aussie is now hoping his half-back can add some glitter and tinsel to Wasps' festive fixtures.

"He had a very good game, in attack especially, scoring one try and setting up a couple of others," said Epifania.

"I've said to him that if our forwards can give us the go-forward then his game can happen without him having to think about it."

Hopefully, Cain, a big success in his previous spell at Huntington Stadium, will build on last week's show in the Boxing Day trip to Hunslet Hawks. However, Epifania has stressed the importance of the pack in giving him the platform to shine.

"The forwards hadn't really been doing the business before last week and it's almost impossible for half-backs to perform without that," he said, adding that skipper Peter Edwards' return at hooker was inspirational in that department.

"Peter had a good game and showed his true spirit. You could see he was struggling for match fitness towards the end but he kept on fighting, as did the other players."

DESPITE his captain's role against Batley, Peter Edwards was just pipped for points in the Evening Press/Guildford Construction player-of-the-season stakes.

Mark Cain was awarded his first haul after being named man of the match, while Mick Docherty continued his cracking early season form by winning two more points, which takes him clear at the top of the rankings.

It was a close-run thing as all the team showed a marked improvement, but the final point went to Ben Sorbello.

The full-back looked as safe as houses under kicks, including one which he somehow held on to when booted fiercely from only a few yards away, and joined the line intelligently. He even had the sense at one point to put a concussed team-mate in the recovery position, without ever putting his line in jeopardy, before the referee realised to halt play.

The Wasps man of the match in each game receives three points, the second best player two points and the third best one point.

Whoever tops the table at the end of the season will receive £350 courtesy of Guildford Construction, with the runner-up winning £150.

POTY Standings

Mick Docherty 6pts, Carl Hall 4, Jon Liddell 3, Mark Cain 3, Andy Precious 1, Ben Sorbello 1.

Hunslet Hawks forward Lee Bargate is available for the Boxing Day clash with Wasps after serving his suspension in the Hawks' 68-12 hammering by Leigh.

Bargate was suspended for one game and fined £75 after being sent off for a careless high tackle in the NFP defeat at Hull KR on the opening day of the season.

On a small point of interest, only points scored separate York and Hunslet at the bottom of the NFP table going into Wednesday's clash.

Both have no points from three games and both have a points difference of minus 108, but Hawks lie above York by virtue of having scored 16 more points.

It looks like Wasps will get to play at a new NFP ground this season after all.

Rivals Oldham Roughyeds are confident they will get to stage all their home games this season at Ashton United FC's ground, despite seeing their opener three weeks ago postponed due to safety concerns.

Roughyeds, who have played only once so far this season, settled on Ashton's Hurst Cross ground as their new home-from-home after being controversially forced out of Oldham Athletic's Boundary Park through inflated rental terms.

But Tameside Borough Council prevented their game against Swinton from going ahead, while there is also a question mark as to whether the UniBond League pitch will stand the rigours of weekly football and/or rugby.

The club met the council, fire and police chiefs and the RFL last week to sort matters out, with chairman Chris Hamilton positive they would get to stay at Hurst Cross, starting with tomorrow's derby against Rochdale Hornets.

York are due to travel to face Oldham on Sunday, January 6.

Former Wasp Gareth Lloyd has not enjoyed the best of starts to the season up at Gateshead.

The ex-York Acorn player, a first-choice centre at Gateshead, suffered a broken thumb in Thunders' game against Doncaster two weeks ago and is yet to play since.

Talking of Gateshead, what a surprise it was to see Thunder draw with title outsiders Featherstone last week, especially as Rovers needed a late Jamie Rooney goal to level it.

Coupled with Chorley's shock win over Whitehaven, it goes to show, if proof were needed, that there won't be any easy games in the Northern Ford Premiership this season.

We all said it could be the toughest NFP in years, maybe it will be the tightest too.