Coach Dean Robinson today admitted York Rugby League Club "got out of jail" with their amazing late show against Doncaster Dragons.

The Wasps overcame the sending off of captain Stuart Flowers and a 14 point deficit to leave the Dragons devastated at Belle Vue.

The visitors scored four tries in the closing 17 minutes to secure a 26-20 victory and equal top spot in the Second Division table, alongside Lancashire and Bramley.

And victory over Batley Bulldogs next Sunday could yet see the Wasps top the White Rose Championship and claim a place in the Trans-Pennine Cup final.

However, Robinson claimed he was delighted to merely avoid an embarrassing and costly defeat by the division's basement side.

"It was an out and out test of character and it is the stuff that promotion runs are built on," said the coach.

"All the guys that were on the field in the second half have lived up to the reputation of professional footballers and I am proud of every one of them.

"I was not saying that at half-time, but they have responded magnificently. We have restricted them superbly in defence for the last 25 minutes."

The coach added that a number of factors contributed to the Wasps ragged first half display, not least reports of a boardroom wrangle over Robinson's position.

"I think we carried some complacency into this game and it has also been a traumatic week behind the scenes. Then injuries affected our rhythm as well," he said.

"We came out in the second half and played ourselves back into the game by controlling the football and didn't panic with our sets of six."

The 52nd minute sending off of second rower Stuart Flowers, for an alleged high tackle on Warren Wilson, was viewed as harsh by the York camp.

Said Robinson: "It was rather harsh but came on the back of one or two cheap shots from both sides and Stuart's was the straw that broke the camel's back. I don't think there was anything malicious in it.

"When you come to Doncaster you expect a partisan crowd and they were baying for blood after one or two incidents."

York suffered a series of injuries during yesterday's bruising clash, with the casualty list including Mark Cain (knee), Andy Hill (bicep), Gareth Dobson (cut eye) and Steve Hill (cut mouth).

Second rower Andy Hill is considered doubtful for next week's trip to Mount Pleasant, when York must to beat Batley by a greater margin than Bramley beat Doncaster if they are to progress to the Trans-Pennine Cup final.

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