Roses 2011 was already won by the White Rose when the men’s football seconds took to the field, so you could be forgiven for thinking a lackadaisical spectacle would be in order for the penultimate event of the weekend. You could not be more wrong, the two teams playing out a terrific match, full of chances and slick football, especially for York, inspired by Ash Daley and Tom Ragan.
However, York were 1-0 down before you could blink, Simon Castle tapping in from a Ben Rigby cross, the yellow and black defenders static. York did not rest however, replying a few minutes later as Stu Dunk’s long ball flummoxed the Lancaster defenders and their keeper, as Tom Ragan crept in and slotted into a empty net.
The York centre midfielders of Jacob Tapper and Rob Shanley were orchestrating the play, while Ash Daley was pinging balls with ease around the pitch from his position in the hole just behind centre-forward Ragan, yet Lancaster took the lead again mid way through the first half. Some more lacklustre York defending was the collective culprit, failing to clear their lines before Jack Griffiths fired left footed into the top right hand corner beyond Toby Owen.
Chances continued to be traded by both sides, as Lancaster played some neat football in the final third while at the other end, a stretching Shanley just failed to keep in a magnificent Daley through ball in play before Ragan used his pace to latch onto his own flick on, his weak shot not troubling John Moran in the Lancaster goal. The wind was affecting play too, illustrated by an uncontrolled shot from 30 yards out by Tapper which in normal conditions would go way over, swirling in the air just over the crossbar.
As the first half drew to a close, York increased the pressure, Daley shooting from nearly the half way line in attempt to catch the shaky Moran off guard, very nearly succeeding with the keeper back-peddling and just tipping it over. From the following corner, Shanley did not make as good enough connection as he would have hoped with his head at the back post. The whistle blew with the score at 2-1 to the Red Rose, a lead not especially deserved in truth.
After the break, York took control from the outset, Daley and Ragan getting in each other’s way from a teasing Alex Reid cross. Not two minutes later, however, the scores were levelled, a wonderful Daley through ball split the Lancaster centre backs, Tom Ragan latching onto it and firing low into the corner beyond Moran for his second of the game. They did not let Lancaster off the hook afterwards either, yet another Daley dink over the top producing a cross-shot into a great area in the 6 yard box by left winger Will Taylor.
The Tapper triplets, Jacob for York, Luke and Josh for Lancaster attracted interest before the game, but only Jacob was playing from the start for York, as injury put paid to Luke’s involvement and Josh was running the line as a substitute. Jacob, according to the pedantic referee, was injured too, as he sent the bemused York midfielder off to find a plaster for a tiny cut to his knee. Lancaster, in an effort to find a winner, brought on Josh Tapper to play on the wing, but it proved futile as York found the winner.
Elliot Ragan, brother off 2-goal Tom provided the assist, a fluky one too as the ball ricochet off his knee straight into the path of fellow substitute James Offord who volleyed accurately into the corner just inside the penalty area, which was no less than York deserved. Lancaster tried in vain to find a winner, Toby Owen being forced into his first save of the game, getting a big hand to a header in the box. Yet the score remained 3-2, the White Rose gaining 2 deserved points to add to our already huge total.
Man of the match – Ash Daley: An imperious performance from the midfielder, providing an assist and creating numerous other chances for his teammates.