YORK Wasps might have put on a much-improved display yesterday but coach Leo Epifania was still far from happy.

Wasps gave by far their best display of the season but went down 22-18 to Batley Bulldogs at Huntington Stadium to remain at the foot of the Northern Ford Premiership table.

Epifania said: "I'm happier but by no means happy. It was definitely an improved effort but we've still got a long way to go. We're not going to be satisfied with that.

"We still lost and there were a few things that happened during the game that we need to get out of our play. We are not going to be happy until we get it right. Even if we're winning I won't be happy until we get it dead right."

Epifania said Wasps again gave the ball away too much and conceded too many penalties.

"I believe my side were the better side on the day but we gave them too much possession. A team can't beat you unless they get the ball and we kept giving them the ball. I'm not happy with that and neither are my team."

Referee Steve Addy, who awarded a total of 23 penalties in the game, came in for some stick from the Wasps crowd, but Epifania put no blame for the loss on the Huddersfield official.

"The thing that disappoints me over here is that a lot of the referees are inconsistent," said the Aussie.

"I thought we were using the ball quite well and maybe he did slow us down at a few points. But maybe it hampered both sides."

Epifania was happy, however, with the spirit shown by his players, who had come in for some stick in the last two weeks but yesterday made a game of it despite finding themselves behind after just 45 seconds and again early in the second half.

"We've learned the art of fighting," he said. "The greatest spirit-builder in rugby league is to fight when your backs are up against it."

He added: "The players haven't been backing each other up but we started doing that yesterday and we reaped the benefits by scoring tries.

"Yesterday the crowd got a glimpse of what we can do but there's a lot more to come."

Updated: 11:42 Monday, December 17, 2001