Lynx 18, York Wasps 26

FOR just a few moments on Sunday it looked like 'Victory' Park might finally live up to its name.

Surely the most ironically named arena in sport, home turf has been unhappy hunting ground for Chorley FC and the Lynx all season.

But, after an impressive Magpies win on Saturday, Steve Hampson's side failed to hang on to a first-half lead against fellow strugglers York Wasps.

The visitors had lost their coaching team in midweek due to a lack of resources and skipper Craig Booth had left for Featherstone.

So, with Gareth Potter handed a first start, the stage looked set for Lynx who impressed away at Hunslet last week.

An impressive 40-yard penalty from Paul Roberts put Lynx ahead and, despite an early Rob Lee try for the visitors, Roberts' reliable left boot put his side ahead with two more penalties.

Neil Alexander, who seems to grow in confidence with every game, then went over superbly after Lynx worked manfully to keep the ball alive on the last tackle after 23 minutes. Wasps showed why they are the lowest-scoring team in the Northern Ford Premiership. Despite some neat moves, the backs showed teflon hands and these individual errors helped Lynx dominate, especially while hooker Andy Pallister was in the sin bin.

However, things started to go downhill for the home side when Potter, who had been settling in well, was stretchered off with a broken ankle.

Spencer Hargreaves took advantage of a Lynx defensive slip to level the scores on 34 minutes and Matt Ryce pounced on a loose ball to put the visitors in the lead.

Lee scored his second try moments into the second half to make the score 22-12 and if Cain's kicking had been better, Lynx could have been well out of the contest.

But Danny Houghton powered through to score for Lynx on 63 minutes.

Alexander, again voted the Lynx man of the match, was finding space once more and, with a wafer thin lead, the Wasps feared he would find the try that would lift Lynx off the bottom of the table.

But it was the Wasps who put a sting into the tail of this game with trialist Ryce scrambling over five minutes before time.

Coach Steve Hampson said: "It was a great performance last week and the lads know they should have won this week."

But he added: "We could be struggling for next week's game. It might mean looking to bring in new players."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.