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Photos: Oona Venermo
York’s men’s 1sts hockey team were held to an agonising 2-2 draw by Durham 4ths, in a game in which the White Rose dominated for vast periods. Goals from Leo Watton and Phil Ratliff twice put York into the lead, but both times they were pegged back, as they failed to capitalise on the numerous chances that they created throughout the encounter.
The draw with bottom club Durham 4ths, who York lost to 3-1 earlier in the season, leaves York next to bottom of the table, with two games of the season left, both to be played against Northumbria 1sts. The draw was York’s fourth of the campaign, and their inability to prevail in such tight encounters has prevented them from pushing into the upper echelons of the table.
York started this afternoon’s game on the JLD promisingly, threatening in the early stages through a Hugo Christie reverse stick strike and a Laurie Torrington drag flick from a short corner. Apart from one effort into the sideboard, York were rarely troubled in defence, moving the ball around neatly and dominating the early possession.
Thus it was no real surprise when York took the lead through an excellent move; Christie surged down the centre of the pitch and picked out Jammy Wilson on the right flank. Wilson then powered a ball across the face of goal, and Leo Watton was on hand to tap home at the back post.
York’s lead didn’t last long though, as Durham equalised with their first significant chance of the game. A quick move and a clever one-two on the edge of the D set their forward through on goal, and he coolly slotted home past Callum Chaundy to level the scoring. The goal seemed to bring the visitors to life, and another shot from the top of the circle flashed wide of the post, as Durham threatened to take the lead.
Gradually though York regained their grip on the game, as good covering play by Alex Bond and George Richards dealt with any dangerous moves. In the midfield, Christie was proving particularly influential, as his purposeful runs wreaked havoc amidst the Durham team. One such surge won his team a penalty flick, after he was felled by the keeper, offering York a brilliant chance to retake the lead.
Leo Watton stepped up, but he was unable to notch his second of the game, as the Durham ‘keeper produced a fantastic save, diving low to his right to save Watton’s precise flick. He then twice denied Torrington, once from a shot from the top of the D with his left hand, before making a sprawling save to block a drag flick. Despite York’s pressure, the score was level at the interval.
Early in the second half York retook their lead, with arguably the best move of the match. Patient build up play saw Bond fire a ball forward to Siva, who used his skill to beat two before playing a clever one-two with Fred Isaac. He took the return in his stride, and although his shot was well saved, the rebound broke to Phil Ratliff, who stroked home from close range.
Durham though were still looking dangerous in spells, but a series of good challenges by Jono Butler and in particular from Captain Richards helped to thwart the danger. Indeed York were distributing play well from the back, with Richards and Bond proving calm in possession. Richards was heavily involved in one move along with Watton, as their link up play created space for Torrington on the left. He picked out Dougie McAteer in the area, but the forward hooked his shot off target.
York continued to apply the pressure as they pushed for a third, but Durham’s impressive ‘keeper pulled out saves to deny Watton and Siva, the latter’s breaking to McAteer, whose follow up shot was somehow deflected over the bar by a defender’s stick on the line.
York’s profligacy in front of goal was punished however, as against the run of play Durham equalised. Chaundy made the initial save, but the follow up was turned home at the back post to make the score 2-2.
There was still time for either side to secure a winner, but again York spurned another golden chance, when Wilson opted to shoot on the angle when he had players to his left. Further short corners provided more opportunities, but every time the Durham ‘keeper was equal to the challenge, whilst the visitors fired their only other real chance into the side netting, meaning that both teams had to settle for a 2-2 draw.
Man of the match: George Richards