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Photos: Zoe Bennell
Following a disappointing performance last Wednesday against Teesside, UYAFC put things right this time out in emphatic fashion, trouncing Leeds Trinity 4-0 on the 3G to get their promotion charge firmly back on track. Goals from James Davies, Dave Belshaw and a Mirhile Overo-Tarimo double saw the hosts on their way to a vital three points.
In the opening fifteen minutes, neither side could easily settle into a rhythm, due in no small part to blustery winds around the 3G. Though both sides had ample opportunity to switch the play and stretch the opposition defence, they were determined to work it down the channels in tight spaces, such was the ferocity of the gale. In one such situation, the tireless Dan Jones found himself breaking forward out wide and whipping a pinpoint cross onto the head of Josh Bew, who powered a header with intent past the well beaten keeper- but gallingly back off the crossbar.
The right flank would prove to be the visitors’ Achilles heel, and when James Davies was allowed to cut inside and run all the way to the edge of the area completely unchallenged, he still had a lot of work to do- but squirted a powerful low effort into the corner of the net for 1-0. On another great run moments later Davies would work his way into the area with ease on the right and smash another low shot at the far corner, this time seeing it bounce out off the post. In the remainder of the first half, the Black & Gold established a foothold in the game, with midfield lynchpin Mirhile Overo-Tarimo’s dogged running and tackling allowing them to sit the midfield high up the pitch, spray the ball out wide and poke and probe for a second goal. It didn’t come, though, and York took a well earned but slender lead into the interval.
After the break, UYAFC re-emerged revitalised, and abruptly snatched that much sought after second goal, Overo-Tarimo slamming home a powerful shot when a switched free-kick found him on his own in the area. The home side continued in the same vein they finished the first, dictating the tempo and attempting to thread their way through- pivotally getting the ball into Joe Easter’s feet- something they didn’t do enough against Teesside last week. As both sides tired, no third goal appeared to be forthcoming and Leeds Trinity offered little in terms of attacking threat, the game became increasingly end to end with each team content to cede possession to the other.
In the eightieth minute, York finally put the game to bed with a morale-crushing third. Centre-back Dave Belshaw stabbed home following a goalmouth scramble. It wasn’t the most fluent of goals, but Belshaw certainly didn’t mind, making his first full start for a long time after an injury layoff and capping a solid performance with a goal. There was just time in the closing seconds for star man Overo-Tarimo to grab his second, stabbing home after yet more pinball in the box for a deserved fourth goal to complete the rout.
VISION MOTM: Mirhile Overo-Tarimo
UYAFC captain James Davies: “After the game last week I gave them a rollicking, but the performance today was superb from start to finish. We won the ball back high up the pitch and scored early. Hull’s game today [against Teesside] was called off, so we’ve got a five-point lead going into that game, and if we win that, we’ll win the league.”
UYAFC (4-2-3-1): Bradley, Jones, Brandreth, Belshaw, Tringham, Osborne, Overo-Tarimo, Davies, Easter, McCoy, Bew
Subs: Gwinnett, Coley-Lynch, Harrison
“Squirted a powerful low effort into the corner of the net for 1-0.”
Squirted? Really? Eww.