The University of York’s 1st XI comfortably overcame Teesside to maintain their 100% start to the season.
Following on from their 5-0 drubbing of Sunderland last week, An Ollie Harrison double and a second-half strike from Joe Mann was enough to secure a 3-1 victory.
Despite playing on a notoriously difficult surface, both sides tried to keep the ball on the floor during the opening exchanges. It didn’t take long for UYAFC to begin asserting their dominance, however, with some crunching tackles in midfield from Chris Osborne and Mirhire Overo-Tarimo.
Further up the field the attacking quartet of Mann, Joe Easter, James Davies and Jamie Trant were linking up well, with Trant almost giving his side the lead after an Easter through ball, only to see his shot blocked.
Mid-way through the first half, York took the lead. A free-kick on the right hand side from Harrison was cleared back to the left-back, who cut inside and drove the ball past the Teesside ‘keeper courtesy of a deflection. There was a strange incident in the aftermath of the goal as the celebrating Osborne inadvertently clashed heads with the referee, resulting in the official being knocked to the ground for a couple of minutes before he could continue.
With the match back underway, the Gold and Black continued to press with Easter, Davies and Dan Jones all testing the keeper, before coming within a couple of inches of going into half-time two up but Mann couldn’t quite connect with Jones’ cross.
The second half continued in much the same vain with Teesside being limited to half-chances and long range efforts, their dangerous number nine being well shackled by Dave Belshaw. A second goal for the visitors wasn’t long in coming. Overo-Tarimo freed Jones down the right whose cross found its way to Mann to slide in at the back post.
To their credit, Teesside did not roll over. They pulled a goal back with twenty minutes to go – their centre-back heading in a corner past York ‘keeper Luke Bradley. It could have made for a nervy ending for the visitors, but any comeback from the home side was nipped in the bud as the visitors regained their two goal cushion minutes later. Harrison’s corner was cleared back to him, before the left-back curled the ball delightfully into the far corner, giving the ‘keeper no chance.
With a comfortable lead intact, the White Rose saw out the game professionally and even continued to press with Mann terrorising the substitute full-back but there would be no more goals, making the final score 3-1 to York. It means the they now top their table despite a one-point deduction, and will certainly be looking to continue their fine form into the coming weeks.
Elsewhere, it was a good day all round for the club as all four teams gained victories- the 2nds won 3-1 against York St. John 2nds, the 3rds won 4-2 against Teesside 2s and the 4s won 6-1 at home to Leeds Trinity 3rds.
Team: Bradley, Jones, Brandreth, Belshaw, Harrison, Mann, Overo-Tarimo, Easter (Nestor), Osborne, Davies ©, Trant (Gwinnett)