Barrow 60 York Wasps 0

For the fifth time this season, the Wasps failed to get a point on the board as they were comprehensively beaten 60-0 at Barrow.

There are now just three games to go and how the York players, fans and officials must be looking forward to the end of the season.

At least this week the Wasps created scoring opportunities.

Unlike last week's 56-0 defeat at Sheffield when they barely got within touching distance of their opponents' line, the Wasps could, and should, have scored at least three tries.

One was ruled out for offside from a kick and on other occasions, both Mike Hall, who had his best game yet, and Andy Innes took the wrong options when a try looked certain.

All those fluffed chances came in the first half which, if taken, would have seen the Wasps in contention at half-time.

Instead they trailed 22-0 but even then coach Lee Crooks held out hope they could make a fight of it in the second half.

However, he hadn't counted on the alarming collapse which materialised after the break.

Barrow are no great shakes - their lowly league standing is testament to that - but like so many teams this season they were able to slice through the defence at will as the Wasps' resistance crumbled spectacularly.

The main instigators were Barrow's influential scrum-half Darren Holt, who created six tries, and captain Matt Leigh who scored four.

It was that combination which created the first try, Holt feeding Leigh for an easy unconverted score after less than two minutes.

York should have hit back five minutes later. Gareth Oulton's disguised grubber kick forced a knock-on ten metres from the Barrow line and from the resultant scrum the Wasps created an overlap, but Hall hung on to the ball instead of throwing it out to winger Innes and the chance was lost.

After Holt had slotted over a penalty, York were unlucky not to score when Molloy patted back Oulton's towering cross-field kick to Innes, who scooted over only for referee Steve Oddy to rule offside.

Those missed opportunities were always likely to prove costly and so it proved when Holt and prop Ian Rawlinson were both involved in a flowing 60-metre move which ended with full-back Dean Sharp, on his full debut after signing from Barrow Island amateurs, touching down next to the posts for Holt to add the extras.

Winger Glenn Hutton squeezed in at the corner for Barrow's third try before York wasted another two good chances.

Stand-off Mark Dooley floated a superb long ball out to Innes who would almost certainly have scored if he had gone for the corner but instead opted to cut inside and was tackled.

Then Matt Mulholland just couldn't hang on to Hall's pass with the line beckoning.

There were no such errors at the other end and Hutton took Anthony Murray's long ball to go over in the corner for his second just before half-time.

While the first half had been much more evenly matched than the score suggested, the second half was a completely different story.

It was all too easy for Barrow who took advantage of too much indiscipline in the Wasps' ranks.

York conceded several silly penalties, putting themselves under pressure and handing the initiative to the Cumbrians.

They didn't need asking twice and it soon turned into an onslaught.

Second rower Leigh scored another three tries to complete a fine afternoon's work while 17-year-old centre Adie Gardner glided in for a magnificent 50-metre effort.

Substitute Jamie Marshall did even better to score a brace from 60 and 40 metres and winger Shane Irabor also got in on the act.

York's misery was complete a couple of minutes from the end when Molloy picked up Carl Bristow's floored pass to touch down but it was ruled out for a forward pass.

This just wasn't going to be the Wasps day. Then again, is it ever?

Barrow 60 York Wasps 0

barrow border raiders: Dean Sharp, Glenn Hutton, Stuart Magorian, Adie Gardner, Shane Irabor, Chris Massey, Darren Holt, Damien Whitter, Anthony Murray, Ian Rawlinson, Geoff Luxon, Matt Leigh, Brett McDermott.

Subs: Jamie Marshall (Massey 61), Steve Jackson (Whitter 55), Mike Whitehead (Luxon 51), Tau Liku (Robinson 45). Sent off: None

York wasps: Mike Hall 8, Simon Wray 6, Matt Mulholland 6, Gavin Molloy 7, Andy Innes 6, Mark Dooley 6, Gareth Oulton 7, Andy Hutchinson 7, Alan Pallister 7, Shane Cochran 6, Carl Bristow 6, Darren Crake 7, Nathan Pincher 7.

Subs: Phil Musgrave (Wray 27) 6, Steve Robinson (Innes 66) -, Mick Hagan (Precious 57) 6, Andy Precious (Hutchinson 25) 6. Sin-binned: None Sent off: None

Man of the match: Mike Hall: Best game yet for York. Joined the line well and was the Wasps most dangerous player in attack. Made some good tackles

Updated: 12:15 Monday, June 11, 2001