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Photos: Jack Western
UHYC’s 1sts ensured their safe passage into the second round of the BUCS Cup with a battling win against a dogged Sheffield 3rds side. Hugo Christie struck a late winner, after a Phil Ratliff brace in amongst two scrambled Sheffield efforts had left the match finely poised.
Despite the victory, the home side were not at their best, failing to convert a host of clear goalscoring opportunities, but will not have been helped by the difficult conditions on a rain-battered JLD.
Nevertheless, York’s obvious superiority shone through right from push-back, as a spirited Sheffield 3rds side were unable to conjure up a cup upset against opponents two leagues above them.
The White Rose began the match with measured intent, passing the ball around with confidence as they sought to ask questions of the visitors’ back-line. Their high-pressing game left them vulnerable to an early counter, however, as the visiting full-back, who had a certain knack for long-range lofted flicks, started a dangerous attack for the visitors, which left-back Jono Butler did well to suppress.
The hosts’ attack continued to pepper away at their opponents, with the movement of attacking pair Nish Selvakumar and Leo Watton a constant threat. Ten minutes in, York earned a short corner, and with it, their first meaningful chance to score. The ball found its way to Selvakumar in space, but his rasping effort was turned behind by the Sheffield ‘keeper.
And Watton, so often the talisman of the side, also came close to opening the scoring as he danced into the D and angled a long-range effort goalwards only to see it drift narrowly wide.
York’s attacking endeavour was built on firm foundations at the back, with in-form full-back Alex Bond’s tackling and distribution the springboard for several York breaks. Newcomer Ellis Farmery also turned in an assured performance, with the diminutive first-year’s movement a thorn in the Sheffield side. A superb passage of play involving Bond, Hugo Christie and Farmery would have resulted in one of the goals of the season were it not for some last-ditch defending from the visitors following some slick, one-touch passing from the White Rose.
York found the breakthrough on nineteen minutes, as Sheffield’s resistance finally gave way. A searching ball from Bond found its way to Phil Ratliff in the box, who calmly slotted the ball away for a 1-0 lead.
The visitors were firmly under the cosh by this point. Hugo Christie made a surging run from the left flank into the D, squaring the ball for attacker Sam Richardson, who was unlucky to hit the post from a good position.
Sheffield did have one chance late in the first half, but ‘keeper Callum Chaundy was there to deny them comfortably. As the half-time interval approached, Sheffield’s back-line, starved of ideas, found themselves passing the ball between themselves, seemingly begging for the whistle.
After dominating the first period, but only having one goal to show for their efforts, the hosts came out all guns blazing for the second half. Their opponents had other ideas, however, and found an equaliser within minutes of the restart. A short corner led to a goalmouth scramble, and the ball somehow ended up in the back of the net. It was a goal they scarcely deserved after a toothless first-half display, but the surprise leveller left Sheffield jubilant.
The goal sparked York into action. The White Rose pressed forward and set up camp inside the Sheffield 25-yard-line, and the effervescent Selvakumar came close to restoring York’s lead in the 38th minute, but the busy Sheffield keeper kept him at bay with a fine save.
York were not to be denied for long, though. Selvakumar found himself through on goal, and unselfishly played in Ratliff, who duly dispatched his second goal of the evening with a simple tap-in, restoring York’s lead.
By now, York were beginning to make their superiority tell. Watton intercepted a poor clearance from a Sheffield defender and burst into the area, only to see his powerful effort cannon off the outstretched palm of the ‘keeper.
Desperate to finish their opponents off, York piled on the pressure, pushing everyone high up the field. There was another twist, however, as a speculative long-ball over the top was not properly dealt with by York ‘keeper Chaundy, and out of nothing, the visitors found themselves level once more.
Buoyed, Sheffield grew in confidence and sensed a chance to steal an unlikely victory against a stunned York. Nonetheless, the hosts held firm following some nervy moments in their own D, and found the winner late on, as Christie buried his shot following Ratliff’s short corner for a 3-2 lead.
The White Rose closed the game out with confidence, and secured their place in the second round of the BUCS Cup, setting up an encounter with Northumbria 1sts. The final minutes were marred by a visibly frustrated Sheffield side heckling their York counterparts, but this was to be the hosts’ day.
After the game, captain Phil Blackburn reflected on an efficient, if unglamorous, victory: “It was a tough game in difficult conditions. It’s easy to worry about lower-league teams causing upsets in the Cup, but we stuck to our guns and were able to close the game out in tricky conditions. We’re very much looking forward to the second round.”