Corgi's old stars shine

Coach Dean Robinson was today aiming to fine tune his squad with the second division campaign just seven days away.

Scrum-half Mark Hewitt, a loan signing from Hull Sharks, is poised to follow prop forward Jon Aston out of Huntington Stadium and sign for first division Widnes Vikings.

Hewitt and Aston arrived on loan just two weeks ago but the pair have been tempted by offers from the higher division, with Aston believed to be close to joining Rochdale Hornets.

However, Robinson last night signed Castleford Tigers second row forward Spencer Hargrave for a one-month loan spell, finalised an hour before last night's Stewart Horton testimonial.

Hargrave, 19, last night made a substitute appearance in opposition to the Tigers' assistant coach Graham Steadman and one-time Wasps target Jamie Benn, both guesting for Heworth.

Robinson is also believed to keen to bring in further players ahead of next Friday's second division opener with Bramley.

Meanwhile, kit supervisor George Marwood has agreed to return to the club part-time for the 1998 season after a trial period back in the job. Marwood plans to combine the Wasps job with his role at New Earswick's White Rose Avenue ground.

VETERANS PUT ON STYLE IN TESTIMONIAL TUSSLE

The Stewart Horton years were rolled back at Huntington Stadium as "Corgi's All-Stars" gave the current York side a second half lesson.

Former Wasps greats Geoff Pryce, Graham Steadman, Steve Dobson and Steve Crooks stepped out of retirement to star in Horton's testimonial last night.

Supported by a sprinkling of younger legs, the old hands showed the way by grabbing a 44th minute try from ex-York half-back Colin Brown and stoutly defending their own line.

And the weary limbs almost carried the Horton Select side to an unlikely victory with Pryce and Steadman going close in the last ten minutes.

Horton's Heworth amateur side, bolstered by Castleford's Jamie Benn, Wayne Dobson and Steadman, softened the Wasps up in the first period, conceding just two tries to Alan Pallister and John Strange.

That ensured a platform for Steve Dobson and his assembled alumni to entertain in the second half, although their crowd-pleasing efforts were interrupted by some over fussy refereeing from Steve Lowe.

Rarely can a testimonial have been so dominated by a referee's whistle with a ridiculous 23 penalties disturbing the flow, a further penalty and blast on the whistle directed at Dobson when he offered the official a similar opinion.

Not even the man-in-the-middle, however, could detract from a spectacular second half.

There was mock petulance and dissent from Graham Sullivan, under-hand stalling tactics from Dobson and a thunderous 40 minutes from the legendary Pryce, who lined up in the centres at the age of 36.

The disappointing crowd of 454 were clearly enjoying the game more than York coach Dean Robinson, who saw his side take little from the game but an 80 minute run out and a catalogue of slipshod handling errors.

Heworth and their second period colleagues threw the ball about, while the Wasps seemed intent on throwing it away.

The professionals lacked direction in attack and it took a missed Heworth tackle, which pole-axed Chris Hammerton instead of the intended John Strange, to create the space for Pallister to score.

Sought-after centre Andy Gabel underlined his potential with the try of the game, breaking from the Heworth half and using his strength to carry him across the whitewash.

Brook, who knocked on over the line on 28 minutes, feinted a pass to the left wing before slipping the ball inside to Strange for a second York try, Precious converting.

A 12-4 half-time scoreline set the stage for the post-interval showmen and their policy of slowing the game was evident after 16 seconds, Steadman penalised for holding down.

Wasps discard Colin Brown, now playing union, made a point to his former employers by scoring an interception try, converted by Sullivan from in front of the posts.

Cultured kicking from Dobson and Steadman threatened to prise York open and Dave Kettlestring's 50 yard chase was almost rewarded on 56 minutes.

The later stages were notable for the Select side's constant pressure, which may be attributed to their ploy of sneaking on a 14th man for the final five minutes.

Horton's knee injury prevented him from taking to the field but his ten seasons' service to the Wasps were fittingly marked by a line-up which reprised some of the finest talent of the Corgi era.

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