It's all too familiar for struggling Wasps

Another game, another heavy defeat and, thankfully, another step nearer the end of a season which York Wasps will be keen to forget.

If anyone thought new owners John Stabler and Russell Greenfield would be able to wave a magic wand then they can think again.

This ten-try hammering showed that, while the team cannot be faulted for lack of effort, it desperately needs an injection of new blood, and quality blood at that.

Half-backs Darren Callaghan and Chris Hammerton grafted tirelessly with little reward, Spencer Hargrave was a revelation back in the centre and the forwards got through a mountain of work.

But paper-thin tackling, wayward passing and poor discipline left the Wasps trailing in Rovers' wake.

The home side, featuring ex-Wasps Matt Lambert and Craig Booth, who returned after a knee injury, capitalised on York's inadequacies to run in ten tries.

It was all too easy and keeps Featherstone firmly in touch for a top four play-off place.

The only highlights for York were tries by Andy Hill on the stroke of half-time and Craig Forsyth nine minutes into the second half, both converted by Callaghan.

Not that they had any impact on Rovers' lead. By the time Hill went in for York's opener they already trailed 22-0.

It was still a fine solo effort though, set up by a chip and chase by Hargrave which took the Wasps deep into Rovers territory.

Hill chipped through, the ball rebounded off a Rovers player's shoulder and Hill kicked ahead again, winning the race to the ball in the end zone.

It gave York a confidence booster going into the dressing room but that confidence was soon shot to pieces as Featherstone crossed twice more before Forsyth's touchdown.

With his first touch of the ball after coming on as a sub, Forsyth ran onto Darley's short pass at speed and, although being tackled just short of the line, was able to reach out and ground the ball under the sticks.

That was all York's small travelling army had to sing about before normal business was resumed.

Poor York debutant Matthew Mulholland didn't know what had hit him.

Because of injuries to the back division, the 19-year-old was handed the dreaded number one shirt and was given a harsh introduction to life in the NFP.

Nobody has been able to make the full-back position their own this season and Mulholland didn't fare much better, prompting coach Garry Atkins to switch him with winger Matt Woodcock at half-time.

The youngster shouldn't take too much of the blame though as he was given little protection by his team-mates against the rampant Rovers.

He did play a part in what was almost the opening try by York but Andy Lambert opted to take on the Featherstone full-back himself instead of feeding Andy Hill on his inside.

Featherstone, for whom Stuart Dickens had missed an easy early penalty chance, took control after that with tries at regular intervals.

Hooker Richard Chapman dummied his way over from acting half, then stand-off Andy Bastow sold a dummy to Andy Lambert before striding through a huge gap.

The third try looked to be offside as Bastow followed up Paddy Handley's chip but he was awarded the try by referee Steve Nicholson.

Straight from the kick-off, flying winger Ian Thompson ran almost the length of the pitch and, though caught by Woodcock, got back to his feet to score in the corner.

With Dickens converting the first three, Rovers were in a commanding 22-0 lead.

Andy Hill's try was only a temporary glitch in the Featherstone onslaught as second rower Danny Evans handed off Hargrave to touch down then Dickens burst through to the line after some soft tackling.

After Forsyth went in for York's second consolation the rout continued. Full-back Michael Rhodes juggled with the ball before slicing between Mulholland and Lambert, and centre Chris Spurr capitalised on a huge overlap for a try on his debut.

The Wasps enjoyed their best spell of pressure midway through the half with well placed kicks by Hammerton and Callaghan testing the defence.

But there was still time for Evans to shrug off Hammerton to score his second try before Wasps sub Michael Smith, on his own 30 metre line, handed possession to Neil Lowe and he released Jamie Stokes to round off the scoring.

The final hooter came as a relief to the well-beaten Wasps, whose display came as a firm reminder to the watching figures of Stabler and Greenfield the extent of the task they have taken on.

Northern Ford Premiership

Featherstone Rvrs 56, York Wasps 12

(Sunday, June 11 at Lionheart Stadium)

YORK WASPS: Matthew Mulholland 6, Gareth Lloyd 5, Spencer Hargrave 7, Andrew Lambert 6, Matt Woodcock 7, Darren Callaghan 6, Chris Hammerton 6, Rich Hayes 7, Alan Pallister 6, Steve Hill 7, Chris Judge 6, Andy Hill 8, Mick Ramsden 6.

Subs: Paul Darley (Pallister 48mins) 7, Michael Smith (Ramsden 27) 6, Andy Precious (Judge 57) 6, Craig Forsyth (S Hill48) 7.

Re-subs: Ramsden for A Hill 65, S Hill for Hayes 74

Tries: A Hill (40mins), Forsyth (49)

Conversions: Callaghan 2

On report: Hargrave (21mins)

Guildford Construction/Evening Press Man of the Match

Andy Hill: Another hardworking display in attack and defence from the second rower who never gives less than 100 per cent. Also weighed in with a solo try

FEATHERSTONE: Michael Rhodes, Jamie Stokes, Martin Law, Chris Spurr, Ian Thompson, Andy Bastow, Paddy Handley, Stuart Dickens, Richard Chapman, Rhys Jones-Orris, Danny Evans, Neil Lowe, Matt Lambert.

Subs: Matt Bramald (for Stokes 58mins), Jamie Coventry (Thompson 32), Andy Heptinstall (Handley 50), Craig Booth (Rhys-Orris 28).

Re-subs: Rhys-Orris for Dickens 62

Tries: Chapman (9mins), Bastow (16, 26), Thompson (28), Evans (42, 70), Dickens (45), Rhodes (52), Spurr (57),

Stokes (74)

Conversions: Dickens 5, Booth 3

Penalties: Booth 1

Match statistics

Penalties: Featherstone 17, York 9

Scrums won: Featherstone 12, York 8

40/20 kicks: Featherstone 0, York 0

Half-time: Featherstone 22, York 6

Referee: Steve Nicholson (Whitehaven)

Attendance: 1,550

Match rating: 6/10

York's next match: versus Dewsbury Rams at Huntington Stadium on Sunday, June 18, kick-off 3pm.

PICTURE: TAKING ON A TRIO: Wasps' Rich Hayes feels the force of three Featherstone tacklers