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Photos: Jack Western
UYLC 1sts continued their excellent run as they survived a late Newcastle 2nds onslaught to move to the top of the BUCS Northern 2B table.
Chloe Searle and Alex Whitehand were the stand-out performers as York put 13 goals past their title rivals. Their lead stretched to 11-5 at its peak, and a late flurry of Newcastle goals was not enough to seal what would have been a famous comeback.
The win means that Claire Thomas’ side move level on points with their opponents, but with a game in hand, putting them in pole position in the battle for promotion.
Having already thrashed Newcastle 3rds earlier in the season, the hosts knew that the Tyneside institution’s 2nds team would pose a much greater threat. Nevertheless, the White Rose began the match confidently and seized the initiative in a dynamic first quarter. If there were any pre-match nerves, York did not show it on the pitch as Anna Marshall gave York an early lead. Their lead was doubled soon after to put them in control.
Newcastle knew they had to gain a foothold in the game, and after a period of pressure, a surging run and a lashed finish reduced the arrears. The away side then equalised after good approach work from behind the goal.
By now, Newcastle were firmly entrenched in the York half, and searched for a goal to give them the lead, but Alex Whitehand had other ideas, as she seized the ball from well inside her own half and took it all the way up the field before firing past a beleaguered Newcastle ‘keeper for a stunning goal. Capitalising on their momentum, Anna Searle struck a rapid-fire hat-trick as York turned on the style. Before long, the scoreline was a commanding 7-2. Newcastle pulled one back just as the quarter ended, but the hosts were feeling confident as they went into the break.
The dynamic of the game changed little after the resumption of play, with Searle continuing to run the show as she netted her fourth and fifth of the afternoon in quick succession.
For all Newcastle’s endeavour, they were being hit time and again on the counter-attack by the Black and Gold. Good work from Thomas and Whitehand resulted in York’s goal tally reaching double figures before the second interval.
The third quarter was a cagier affair, with the only score coming from a York after a foul in the Newcastle area. Perhaps tiredness was a factor on the part of the hosts, as Newcastle rallied and were beginning to see more possession. Home ‘keeper Amy Blumson was certainly the busier of the two, as York strove to keep the visitors at bay. One score right at the end of the period by York’s Sacha Greane kept the scoreboard ticking over in their favour.
It was in the fourth quarter though that Newcastle finally began to show stomach for the fight. The hosts were firmly under the cosh, and conceded a series of cheap goals, while at the other end, their attack had lost the spark of the first three quarters as the game visibly became narrower. The away side turned in a commendable fightback at the death, but were made to pay for their earlier disorganisation as the Black and Gold closed out the match to win 13-10, and continue their rich vein of form.
Captain Claire Thomas told Vision: “I am absolutely delighted that we’ve come away with a win today after what was definitely our toughest game of the season, against girls who played Division One all last year. They are used to a higher level of lacrosse than we are.
“It was a really difficult last fifteen minutes, I thought we’d had it at points, but our hard work paid off. I’m just glad that we’re where we belong at the top of the league.”