MATCH REPORT

Match report by Stuart Martel Lancashire Lynx 12, York 25

Match-winner Leigh Deakin is a milestone man.

The winger's touchdown treble against Lancashire Lynx thrust York Rugby League Club into the Second Division promotion race.

And the Deakin hat-trick, which secured the personal glory of 50 career tries for the club, unleashed a trio of reasons to be cheerful for the Wasps.

An away victory is cause enough for joyful scenes of celebration in the Wasps camp but that delight was doubled by the feat of inflicting a first Deepdale league defeat for the Lynx.

The surging satisfaction was complemented by the achievement of a third successive victory, a stretch equalled just once last season.

Super League centre Fata Sini was correctly afforded top pre-match billing but the undoubted star of the show was leading scorer Deakin.

Pace and power were allied to finishing finesse as the winger made a faultless contribution to his side's success.

Deakin crossed in the sixth, 42nd and 76th minutes for his fifth Wasps hat-trick but his game was not merely glossed with glory.

The winger was ever willing to bear the prop forward's burden by pounding the Lancashire defence, while never missing a tackle when the hosts were on the offensive.

A creative 'D' force saw Deakin's lead closely followed by hooker Gareth Dobson and loose forward Paul Darley, a duo which supplied the craft ahead of subdued half-backs Lee Hanlan and David Brook.

The Lynx can scarcely have been so dominated in their domain during their two-year unbeaten run, yet remarkably they were leading on the hour.

The reason for that discrepancy can be sought in the boots of the York goalkickers, Craig Booth and Andy Precious.

A ratio of two good kicks from seven attempts was a meagre gain and, on another day, one that could have cost two valuable league points.

Booth however was the more accurate of the two, converting Deakin's first and third tries from wide out on the touchline.

The presence of Sini was a boon for Deakin and the bane of Lancashire. As the Western Samoan drew the tackles on a sound but unspectacular debut, Deakin relished the space outside his illustrious centre partner.

And the winger was wide open to accept a start when Darley swatted off two tackles near the Lynx line in the sixth minute.

But the Wasps could only add a Cain drop goal to that score as the hosts scored first half tries through half-backs Phil Jones and Chris Kelly.

Deakin's short burst from dummy half to score punished Darren Abram's knock on from the restart, but York's lead was lost when Jones banged over a penalty.

The Wasps betrayed their nerves, knowing the next score was crucial, by forcing the final pass or pursuing the wrong option, Hanlan, Brook and Godfrey relinquishing vital possession.

And when PJ Solomon's swinging high tackle on Precious brought a penalty in front of the posts, the victim was himself wayward with the kick.

Last season the Wasps succumbed to three late Lancashire tries in slipping to Deepdale defeat, but yesterday York converted a treble chance of their own.

Referee Ian McGregor ruled Deakin's off-load went backwards and Alex Godfrey ran in unchallenged in the 70th minute for a score which broke the home side.

Deakin's hat-trick try followed an excellent Mark Cain break and Lancashire's collapse was complete when Brook ran in a loose ball from 30 metres. Dobson set to join Wasps' fight

Talented Castleford Tigers hooker Gareth Dobson is poised to join York RL until the end of the season.

Wasps coach Dean Robinson confirmed that he and Castleford coach Stuart Raper were close to arranging extended loan deals for Dobson, Jamie Benn and Spencer Hargrave.

The 19-year-old Dobson has made a massive impact since joining the Wasps and has been instrumental in victories over Barrow Border Raiders and Lancashire Lynx, since displacing regular hooker Alan Pallister.

Dobson told the Evening Press that had not been told whether or not he would be staying at York but was grateful to the club for giving him the chance to impress the Castleford coaching staff.

Robinson added: "I have been speaking to Stuart Raper and I am pleased to say that hopefully Jamie Benn, Spencer Hargrave and Gareth Dobson's loans will be extended for the season. It is good news and gives us the intensity required for the shirts."

Former York RL scrum half Steve Dobson leads his Three Tuns side into action against the Spread Eagle tonight in the opening game of the 1998 Arthur Rhodes Haulage Interworks competition at Clifton Park (7pm).

Evening Press/Hogg The Builder Man of the Match :

Leigh Deakin

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