A TRIO of York exiles returned to haunt their home-town club in a devastating Dewsbury demolition job at Ram Stadium.

Former York Wasps team-mates Mark Cain and Damian Ball, plus ex-Heworth centre Dan Potter, scored all three first-half tries to wreck the Wasps' hopes of pulling off a shock result.

Ball added a second after the interval as the Rams completed a nine-try super show of pace and power.

But it was those first-half scores that proved decisive after brave York had stayed in contention for the first half-hour.

Until then they were just 6-2 behind, Ball putting Cain in for the opening try on 11 minutes.

The pair swapped roles for the second try when Cain, playing at scrum-half, provided the pass for loose forward Ball to touch down under the sticks.

Even then York harboured hopes of a comeback but a basic Wasps error just before the break meant Dewsbury went in 18-2 ahead.

Leroy McKenzie chased back to collect a kick and threw out a harmless looking pass to supporting full-back Jamie Benn.

But Benn dropped the ball 30 metres from his own line and Potter, who still lives in York, hacked forward the loose ball and followed up to score.

Barry Eaton, playing at hooker instead of scrum-half due to regular number nine Richard Pachniuk's injury, converted all three scores.

All York had to show for their first half efforts was a 16th-minute penalty by Benn.

Once again they couldn't be faulted for their commitment but in Dewsbury they were up against a powerful force.

There was another impressive display from prop Michael Smith who the Rams found difficult to contain.

It was also encouraging to see Gareth Stephens return from injury to make his first appearance of the season.

In truth though, the Wasps lack the size and experience to trouble teams of Dewsbury's class.

The biggest difference came in the forwards. Wasps prop Craig Forsyth had to come off early on due to injury, forcing hooker Alan Pallister to take over at prop, while the back row was made up of three players who normally line up in the centre.

On the bench were youngsters Adam Briggs and Charles Hoggard, who made his debut just two days after joining on trial.

In contrast, Dewsbury boasted a huge pack, with equally enormous replacements in man of the match Ryan McDonald and Simon Hicks.

They were able to charge through the lightweight York defence almost at will, allowing the backs to exploit the Wasps cover out wide.

It was men against boys, and once Dewsbury got their noses in front they never looked back.

York had a good spell of pressure midway through the first half and Chris Allen, playing at loose forward, showed his pace with a fine break which almost set up a try for Paul Butterfield.

But after the break there was only one team in it. The Wasps only entered the Rams 22 on a couple of occasions as the home team ran riot.

As has been the case in almost every game this season, Lady Luck was not smiling on the Wasps. Their misfortune was outlined in Ball's second try.

Wasps winger Matt Mulholland took Eaton's high cross-field kick and made a 30 metre run only to lose the ball in a tackle which left the young Wasp laid out on the floor.

With Mulholland still receiving treatment, and with his wing stretched, Dewsbury capitalised for Ball to score in the corner.

At the same time Mulholland was being helped from the field, yet another casualty to add to the ever-increasing list.

Straight from that try, Hicks burst through the middle of the defence, found Natham Graham on his inside and the full-back outpaced Shaun Austerfield and the rest of the Wasps' scrambling cover to score under the posts.

Eaton also got on the scoresheet, winger Adrian Flynn bagged a couple and substitute Billy Kershaw completed the rout.

Dewsbury Rams

Tries: Cain (11mins), Ball (33,54), Potter (37), Eaton (48), Graham (56), Flynn (64,67), Kershaw (73).

Goals: Eaton 7

DEWSBURY RAMS: Nathan Graham, Alex Godfrey, Gavin Wood, Dan Potter, Adrian Flynn, Richard Agar, Mark Cain, Matthew Long, Barry Eaton, Robin Jowitt, Sean Richardson, Paul Smith, Damian Ball.

Subs: Andrew Spink (for Richardson 55), Billy Kershaw (Smith 40), Ryan McDonald (Jowitt 24), Simon Hicks (Long 27).

Re-subs: Jowitt (McDonald 67), Long (Hicks 67).

Sin-binned: None

Sent off: None

Penalties: Five

Scrums won: Eight

York Wasps

Goals: Benn 1

YORK WASPS: Jamie Benn 6, Matt Mulholland 6, Paul Butterfield 6, Gareth Lloyd 6, Leroy McKenzie 6, Paddy Handley 6, Gareth Stephens 7, Michael Smith 8, Alan Pallister 6, Craig Forsyth 6, Craig Moore 6, Shaun Austerfield 6, Chris Allen 7.

Subs: Gareth Oulton (for Mulholland 55) 6, Gareth Dobson (Hoggard 15) 6, Adam Briggs (Austerfield 60) 6, Charles Hoggard (Forsyth 4) 6. Re-subs: Hoggard (Pallister 40), Forsyth (Hoggard 58).

Sin-binned: None

Sent off: None

Penalties: Two

Scrums won: Six

Referee: Steve Nicholson (Whitehaven)

Half-time: 18-2