Roses: hockey preview

Men’s 1sts by Oliver Wheatley

If we are being diplomatic – and a gentleman is always diplomatic – then we can say the 1st XI has had, at best, a mixed season. This is however, a reassuringly insignificant fact, for when Roses rolls rounds precedent sinks to irrelevancy and it is they who hold their nerve who invariably emerge victorious.

Last year, Lancaster failed to show. A vicious home crowd shredded the confidence and composure of any player who dared make a mistake, and Lancaster never got going. Some opposition players even tried to escape the malice being hurled at them by gravitating toward the middle of the pitch but such attempts ultimately proved futile. A feeble Lancaster crumbled and with retrospective ease, York walked away 3-0 victors.

But this year will be different. Harder, not least because York plays away from their home-turf and away from their home support, but also because of the departure of key individuals. The team was not gutted by the exodus of third-years, but no one would deny that talent was lost.

Yet York has had time to rebuild, and as a unit they are easily comparable to last year’s side. The difference between winning and losing, therefore, may rest on the inspiration of a single man. The player most likely to provide it is Captain Henry Donald Meller. In him the team-spirit is embodied; fitness sacrificed at the altar of raw, unadulterated passion. He leads from the front in every sense and always leaves the field of battle bloodied and bruised; a testament to his fearless commitment.

It is in the final-third when Meller shines. He will run at a speed astonishing for a man of his stature, and will glide through a defence leaving only a trail of wretched challenges in his wake. As one of the few natural ball carriers in the side, the captain is burdened with a great responsibility, but it is a burden he wears with admirable ease.

In truth, Meller scores with frustrating irregularity, but when he does find the net it is often in a truly remarkable manner. (One particular goal against Durham has entered UYHC folklore purely through sheer and shameless repetition.) And, as any sports fan will attest, it is to the big stage that the big players rise, so one would be imprudent to bet against the captain scoring a wonder goal to cap off an illustrious UYHC career – whether or not he will do so remains to be seen.

For now, the stage is set and all we need are the players. Bring on May 5th.

Women’s 1sts by Captains Hannah Gage & Sally Warrington

The Ladies 1s have had a brilliant season topping the table in both BUCS and Yorkshire League, whilst also reaching the semi-finals in the BUCS cup. Our most memorable match was a thrilling game against Leeds University where we came back from two goals down twice, to clinch the match 5-4. Our Yorkshire League season came to an end with an exciting double header; both matches had to be won in order to gain promotion. We succeeded in comfortably winning both matches against strong City of York and Harrogate teams to take the title and gain promotion into Yorkshire Premier Division. Beating Lancaster at Roses would be the perfect end to what has already been a fantastic season.

Having won our Roses match 3-1 last year, we will be looking to improve on this score in Lancaster in a few weeks. Our hard work in training and performances all season make this a realistic goal. Our formation allows us to be very attacking and we plan to go out strong from the whistle. This is not to say that we will be left vulnerable in defence. The partnership of Sally Warrington and Rachael McMillan as twin backs has gone from strength to strength this season and the pair will be looking to put in another solid performance on Lancaster turf.

A few players to watch: club President Rachael Faustino, who has had a great season as top scorer; Imy Storm a skillful and dangerous attacking player and finally, Vaila Ormiston who has consistently performed across BUCS and Yorkshire League; she will be looking to make some relentless attacking runs from defence. We currently have one of the strongest York Ladies 1st XI teams ever so with a lot of hard work and effort, should come away with a much-deserved win.

Men’s 2nds by captain Alex Alonso

Captaining the York Second XI this season has marked an epoch at my time at the University, a journey that has experienced the bitterness of defeat, the catharsis of narrow victories and the rhapsody of pleasure that only comes with a narrow survival in a mercurial BUCS season. It has been a great journey but it was not always so. Pre-season optimism, fuelled by the easy coalescence between the elders of the club and their new fledglings, soon gave way to the lassitude of mid-season as industry was not rewarded with success. League results remained elusive and even consistency in the Yorkshire league did little to heighten the spirits of a beleaguered squad. Nonetheless no journey is without difficulty, every hero must face tests. The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials. Despite a faltering league position, a well of strength sprung up within the members of the team and slowly, but surely, through graft and a latent talent that had lain dormant all season, the situation improved. We passed through our sporting Charybdis, resisted the sirens of lethargy and self-doubt and began to catch a sight of our Ithaca, our survival. Redemption, however, was still uncertain. The sporting Gods had written the script masterfully. The play would be decided in a final act of drama, the setting a bleak Northern day and the pantomime villain none other than our neighbours Leeds. In a turbulent match, we outlasted our opponent and, by virtue of a three goal cushion, cast our rivals into the abyss of relegation. Ithaca was in sight.

To identify stars of a glittering season is an impossible task. It has been a season defined by the triumph of the whole, rather than the individual. Managing an eclectic mix of talent has been a privilege. James Hope has been resolute in defence, the last bastion of the team; Harry Bercis has been luminescent both at the back and in front of goal; Joe Walsh has spun the midfield web on which our game has relied, tirelessly linking attack and defence whilst providing a passionate vocal presence. Simon Murphy continues to question the laws of established physics, scoring goals from absurd angles and producing sudden bursts of inspiration, all the more beautiful for their fleetingness. If one star has shone brighter even than its contemporaries then it is the radiance of Phil Blackburn; a calm, placid man off the pitch who enjoys political discourse and fine French wine, his temperament is his greatest asset. Whilst in Jerusalem, legend has it he spent a year in silence to better understand the sound of a whisper. This mental discipline has enabled Blackburn to provide goals of frequent importance and quality, passes of intricacy and precision and tackles that have made the very earth of the JLD shake. If there has ever been a complete midfielder, then this may be it.

Their remains a final iceberg to be rounded in our journey towards the Valhala of York’s sporting greats. A last barricade to overcome before we can drink our flagons in the halls of success, seated on the long wooden benches of fulfilment – Roses. Between us and hockey’s Elysium stands Lancaster. The House of the Red Rose will stake their claim to the crown of sporting supremacy and we must be ready to answer. Victory is within our grasp, attainable only through the same team spirit that led us out of the dark and into the light in BUCS. In the words of Winston Churchill: “It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be”.

Women’s 2nds by Captain Harriet Nicholls

We have had a very strong year, throughout the season we have fought hard and been promoted in both BUCS and our Yorkshire league so we mean business. We will come out strong and keep up intensity throughout, with the support of the club and all others present, hopefully this year’s match will see us end the season on the highest note possible- a fine Roses victory. Our inner players, Sophie Anderson and Anna Williamson, have been a consistent source of energy on the pitch. Our defence has been completely remodelled this year by freshers Nina Rawlings, Alix Harwood and Kate Atherton who I know will hold solid. Nat Montezuma will inevitably show us some very tasty attacks on goal as we strive to defeat our opponents. I see us taking home a worthy victory, score wise we shall just have to see.

Men’s 3rds by captain Jon Waghorne

The Men’s 3XI have some unfinished business with Lancaster. Our current Roses record stands at played 2, lost 2, with the Lancaster 3XI’s Hockey being one of the few teams never to have lost at Roses. Last year York controlled almost all of the play in and around the Lancaster half, but despite nearly 20 short corners could not convert, and lost to a couple of sloppy break away goals. This year will be very different.

The 3XI’s have had a good season, and missed out on promotion in BUCS and Yorkshire by a place – however all that disappointment will change if we can beat Lancaster. The team contains a mixture of Roses veterans and new faces, with some of the boys who narrowly missed out on selection last year desperate for a taste of what a Roses weekend is all about.

Expect any short corners this year to be put away, with Danny Williams scoring several spectacular drag flicks throughout the season, and with York having been consistently good at converting. In the middle of the park Chris Butterworth has run the show fantastically all year and a lot rests on his shoulders. Max Fleming, improved beyond all recognition from the start of the season, has been providing consistent penetration down the right, foraying deep into opposition territory in search of a cheeky goal. York’s back four, a mixture of Roses veterans and a real life veteran, will all be playing their last game for the uni, and will want to end on a high. Can Jamie Randall score his first club goal after three years? Will Butters get the hug he craves? Can Saj Patel achieve his darkest desire? We can’t wait to find out.

Prediction 3-0 York…

Women’s 3rds by captain Cat Johnson

UYHC have had such a great turn out from the ladies this year that we’ve been able to put out a brand new third team against Lancaster. Despite being an impromptu side, we have some exceptional players amidst our ranks, all of whom raring to prove their worth. The team chemistry has been superb with many having trained together all year, and the arrival of some skilled fresher’s at the start of the season has directed our new team towards some promising results. Following on from a couple of infrequent matches we now have a team averaging 3 goals per game, and the side is only strengthening with the upcoming training before the big weekend.

Last year the club put forward a ladies 3rds side at Roses as an exhibition match and won, but this year we are playing for points with perhaps an even stronger team. These Lancaster ladies now play BUCs but they will have a battle on their hands at Roses.

Kathy Cox is the one to watch; our energetic and enthusiastic centre midfield is hugely selfless and exceptionally skilled.

Predicted Score: let’s say a 3-0 win to York!