RUGBY League at Deepdale has finally arrived.

The final score could have looked healthier, but judging by Lancashire Lynx's performance against the world club champions, many Division Two sides will be unpleasantly surprised by the opposition that they will meet at Preston.

Cynics may argue that the Warriors were never going to field a full strength squad or play to their full potential.

It was never going to be made easy for Kevin Marati's boys and with their Challenge Cup clash with St Helens looming, Wigan named stars like Shaun Edwards and Jason Robinson to take on Lancashire.

To the delight of the Wigan fans it took just three minutes for their team to put four points on to the board.

Lancashire's Paul Norton had fumbled the ball and Wigan were quick to pick up on his mistake.

At first it seemed as if the Lynx defence was stronger than expected after they coped with the first Wigan assault on the touchline.

Rob McLaughlin knocked the ball out of play, but from the resulting drop-out Terry O'Connor had no problems in charging over the line.

Daryl Cardiss was the next to score, taking the ball over in the corner and setting up a difficult conversion.

The Lynx were forced to realise the strength and speed of their opposition by Jason Robinson whose solo try added another four points to the score.

Most super league teams cannot stop the Great Britain winger in mid-flight, the Lynx tried to tackle him but his break proved to be unstoppable.

Lancashire tried to maintain their defence but Wigan kept the ball alive and in the 19th minute slipped the ball to O'Connor for his second try of the afternoon.

Tries from Kris Radlinski, Neil Cowie and Andy Johnson took the half-time tally to 30 points.

In the second half, the Riversiders put just four tries past Lancashire, Edwards and Cardiss scoring before the Lynx's one and only try, and Sean Long and Craig Murdoch after.

In the 65th minute Lyndon Smith put the ball out to Simon Smith, this season's new signing from Wigan, who seemingly made light-work of completing the move.

Now that their pre-season challenge is behind them, Lancashire Lynx have to take on super league outfit London Broncos in the fourth round of the Silk Cut Challenge Cup at Deepdale next Sunday.

Final score - Lynx 4 Wigan 52

Lynx team: Parsley, S Smith, Finney, Stewart, McLaughlin, Allday, Emery, Taylor, L Smith, Norton, Gee, Molyneux, Ruane. Subs: Walsh, Westwood, Gleave, Briscoe, Francis, Barr.

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