IN-FORM loose forward Lee Badauskas has left York Wasps for another crack at Super League.

Badauskas, who made his Wasps debut against Leigh in March, has returned to his former club, Castleford Tigers, to stake his claim in their Alliance team.

Just last week the 21-year-old told the Evening Press he was considering his future because he believed he had more to offer.

His quick thinking and ball handling skills have been one of the few highlights for the Wasps in recent weeks.

They will be greatly missed when York entertain play-off candidates Dewsbury Rams in their penultimate home game of the season tomorrow (kick-off 3pm).

His place at loose forward is likely to be taken by Mick Ramsden, with Darren Crake and Carl Bristow starting in the second row.

The loss of Badauskas could be tempered by the arrival of winger Gavin Molloy, who has joined the Wasps on loan from Hull KR until the end of the season.

He will add some much needed pace to a York side which has scored just 173 points in 22 league games this season - an average of around eight points a game.

They have now gone 13 games without a win but coach Lee Crooks insists they remain in good spirits.

The Wasps boss missed the last training session because of his commitments with the Yorkshire squad but said: "I've been told it was very positive and everyone was upbeat considering we had a chance to win a game last week and didn't."

That defeat by Gateshead sent York to the foot of the Northern Ford Premiership, a position which they are unlikely to improve on this week.

Although prop Mick Hagan has returned to training following injury, winger Simon Wray and prop Neil Harmon are both doubtful with knee injuries.

Their absence would further hamper York's chances against a Dewsbury side which has suffered following the loss of their coach Neil Kelly to Widnes Vikings.

Kelly took a number of players with him across the Pennines which left his replacement, Roy Sampson, with a tough job.

Dewsbury, in seventh place in the table, are still hanging onto a play-off spot but only on points difference.

Half-back Mark Cain could start his first game for three weeks against his former club.

He is set to come in at stand-off to replace Dean Lawford, who is unavailable.

Coach Roy Sampson was disappointed with some of the regulars in the 12-6 defeat at Hull KR last week and has threatened to make a couple of key changes.

The Rams are poised to bring Nathan Graham back into the side, possibly at the expense of York-based centre Dan Potter.

Graham resigned from the club three weeks ago but returned when Widnes pulled out of a possible deal to sign him.

Robin Jowitt will team up in the front row with assistant coach Andy Fisher, allowing Jim Leatham to rest his damaged ribs.

The York Wasps Academy play Dewsbury's young guns in a curtain raiser to the first team match, kick off at noon.

Updated: 11:32 Saturday, May 26, 2001