Victory at last. After three games without success York Wasps finally found the winning formula with a superb defensive effort to shoot down Hunslet Hawks.

POWER-PACKED: Lea Tichener ploughs through the Hunslet defence

On Good Friday the Wasps were mightily unlucky to lose at Hull KR, the week before they had thrown away a 12-point lead to draw against Batley and in the previous game they had been dismal at Workington.

But yesterday they put behind them a difficult month to send second placed Hunslet crashing to their second defeat of the Easter weekend in front of a crowd of 1,204, the biggest at Huntington Stadium since Oldham's visit on May 24 last year.

It was a terrific performance based on a rock solid defence which looked to have secured the Wasps their first clean sheet of the season until the Hawks scored a consolation try with the last play of the game.

But that was just a minor hiccup in another otherwise faultless display which keeps the Wasps in the play-off race.

In Mark Cain and Darren Callaghan York have found a half-back combination to challenge the best in the Premiership.

Cain was outstanding, breaching the often flimsy Hunslet defence with relentless ease. And Callaghan, a revelation since being handed the scrum-half shirt against Batley, again showed his class with teasing runs and slick passing to create numerous chances.

The front row too were superb. Steve Hill once again dominated in the first-half with his now trademark driving runs, ably supported by the strong running Lea Tichener, who had his best game of the season, and hooker Alan Pallister, a constant threat from dummy half.

It was another nervous start by the Wasps though, as winger David Plange and second rower Mick Coyle both went close for Hunslet.

But after Peter Edwards put York ahead on seven minutes the Wasps controlled the game.

Callaghan made the important break 10 metres out, his dummy leaving the Hawks defence at sea before getting out a pass which went to ground but was picked up well by the Kiwi loose forward to score just to the left of the posts.

Benn, who had another good day with the kicking boots, slotted over the conversion.

Cain looked to have scored a second Wasps try seven minutes later when he jinked through to touch down under the posts but dropped the ball in the process.

A Benn penalty after an off the ball incident involving Hawks stand-off Mike Fletcher put the Wasps further ahead but they were then forced into a tremendous defensive effort as Hunslet turned up the pressure.

They bombarded the Wasps line and had three successive sets of six inside the Wasps 20-metre area towards the end of the half, prop James Walker the nearest to scoring when he was held up over the line.

Hunslet continued where they had left off at the start of the second period as Strange's knock-on from the kick-off put the Wasps under more pressure.

But six minutes into the half Hunslet were penalised in front of their own posts for pulling the ball out the tackle and Benn's kick made it 10-0.

That gave York vital breathing space and Strange and Cain helped reassert their authority with some sparkling breaks.

Cain it was who deservedly got the matchwinner after good work by Callaghan and Pallister.

He wrong footed Hunslet's outstanding second row Jamie Thackray to create just enough space to reach out of the tackle and put the ball down just over the whitewash.

Benn's conversion attempt hit the upright, but the winger made amends with a penalty 10 minutes from time after he had been obstructed chasing through his own chip as both sides had chances to add further tries.

It was Hunslet though who had the final word with arguably the try of the match.

Kiwi scrum-half Latham Tawhai, a constant threat, was the instigator as he started and finished a 60 metre four-man move to score under the posts, Fletcher adding the extras with the final kick of the game.

A clean sheet would have been a bonus, but what was really important in front of such a large and enthusiastic crowd was the result. Hunslet's travelling contingent may have swelled the attendance but there were no doubt a few more Wasps fans in what was a superb atmosphere.

There was singing and cheering the like of which has not been heard at Huntington Stadium for some time - hopefully this buzzing Wasps display will bring them back again next time.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.