The arrival of former Super League star Leroy Rivett can't come soon enough for York Wasps whose lack of attacking prowess was cruelly exposed at Don Valley Stadium yesterday.

The Wasps never came within touching distance of the Sheffield line, rarely making it into their opponents' 20 metre zone.

But while someone of Rivett's finishing ability will be an important addition, he is unlikely to get many chances judging by recent performances.

The Wasps are badly missing a creative brain going forward, making the performance of the Eagles' York-based scrum-half Scott Rhodes a particularly difficult pill to swallow.

He is just the kind of player his home town club needs - instead he played a major part in bringing about their downfall.

Another key instigator was former York loose forward Richard Goddard.

Such was the Eagles' superiority they should have won by more. Leading 38-0 at half-time, they looked more than capable of beating their club record win of 82-4.

But an improved defensive effort by the Wasps in the second half, coupled with Sheffield's failure to take their chances, resulted in a relatively respectable scoreline for York compared with some of their hammerings this season.

The Eagles dominated the first half, running the Wasps ragged in all areas of the field.

Rhodes opened the scoring after five minutes when he stepped round second rower Carl Bristow and full-back Mike Hall to score under the posts from 20 metres out.

Three minutes later it was Goddard who did the damage, breaking from halfway and drawing Hall before off-loading to Gareth Hewitt to finish off.

Goddard coverted both efforts to signal the start of an easy first 40 for the Eagles.

Next up was speedy winger Paul Wells, brother of Castleford Tigers star Jon. He took Goddard's pass and threw off the challenge of Andy Innes to score in the corner, which Goddard was unable to goal.

But at 16-0 with 12 minutes gone there was no way back for the Wasps who tried hard to no avail.

Goddard really should have added a fourth after Rhodes broke through the middle but the pass went forward.

It only proved to be a temporary hiccup though and three minutes later they made no mistake.

Second rower Chris Champan looked to have been stopped 15 metres from the York line but somehow forced his way through some weak tackling to get the ball down, Goddard converting from in front of the sticks.

Straight from the kick-off Sheffield scored again. Strong-running second row man Andy Brent burst straight down the middle, raced 35 metres before drawing Hall and finding Andy Poynter in support to sprint the last 30 metres to the line.

On the half hour, Hall dropped Rhodes' bomb over his own line and Goddard pounced on the loose ball to score, making it 32-0.

They could have had another two tries when Neil Kite was held up over the line then ex-Wasps hooker Gareth Dobson dropped the ball as he tried to force his way over.

But a minute before half-time they did cross for their seventh try when Wells raced 80 metres, rounded Hall and claimed the try, Goddard adding the extras.

The second half was a case of playing for pride for the Wasps and they did at least manage a few more forays into Sheffield territory.

York's two best players, loose forward Mick Ramsden and prop Andy Hutchinson, both made good breaks but they came to nothing.

Sheffield, for whom player-coach Mark Aston came on to make his 400th appearance, could manage only three more tries through Jack Howieson and two from Brent.

The Wasps battled in vain for a consolation but never looked like scoring, becoming the only team this season to fail to score against Sheffield in the league.

Sheffield Eagles 56, York Wasps 0

SHEFFIELD EAGLES: Andy Poynter, Paul Wells, Neil Kite, Gareth Hewitt, Ian Thompson, Gavin Brown, Scott Rhodes, Jon Bruce, Gareth Dobson, Steve Hill, Andy Brent, Chris Chapman, Richard Goddard. Subs: Mark Aston (Goddard 63), Jack Howieson (Bruce 23), Simon Tillyer (Chapman 28), Billy Kershaw (Hill 53. Re-subs: Bruce (Howieson 67), Chapman (Tillyer 67). Sin-binned: None

Sent off: None

YORK WASPS: Mike Hall 6, Simon Wray 6, Matt Mulholland 6, Gavin Molloy 6, Andy Innes -, Mark Dooley 5, Danny Waite 6, Andy Hutchinson 7, Alan Pallister 6, Shane Cochran 6, Carl Bristow 6, Nathan Pincher 6, Mick Ramsden 8.

Subs: Callum Irving (Cooney 27) 6, Steve Robinson (Pallister 70) 6, Chris Cooney (Innes 15) -, Darren Crake (Cochran 44) 6. Re-subs: Cochran (Pincher 73), Pincher (Hutchinson 79). Sent off: None

Man of the match: Mick Ramsden: Yet another quality display despite a poor team effort. His loss through injury for rest of season will be a major blow

Updated: 12:29 Monday, June 04, 2001