A below par performance from York’s men’s 3rds saw them suffer a heavy defeat at the hands of Varsity rivals Hull 2nds. A depleted York side, missing key players such as Chris Baldrey, Aidan Pilgrim and Rob Smith, were outplayed in almost every department, and succumbed to a 6-0 loss on a pitch in the shadow of Hull City KC Stadium.
Despite the end result, York started brightly enjoying early periods of possession and territory, and settling into the game quicker than their opponents in pink. However the White Rose were unable to carve out any clear chances, and ten minutes into the contest they were punished, as Hull scored with their first meaningful attack, an incisive move setting their forward free of the tackles of Alex Bond and Andrew Lister.
Minutes later Hull doubled the advantage, as a break down the right wing ended in the ball being squeezed past York ‘keeper Simon Varley at the near post. A quickfire third more or less ended the game as a contest, and with twenty minutes gone, York’s heads dropped and their standard of the play which had been promising in the first ten minutes decreased significantly.
Hull began to play with more confidence, dominating most facets of the game, and before half time they added a fourth to further demoralise York. Rohit Rana found the back of the net for York, after deflecting a hit from Alex Bond into the goal, but it was harshly adjudged to be dangerous and the goal was disallowed.
Trailing 4-0 at halftime York needed a minor miracle in the second half to return home with anything from the lengthy trip, but sadly they showed little sign of making inroads into the deficit. Hull continued the pattern of the latter stages of the first half, controlling the midfield and looking dangerous whenever they attacked.
Only a series of saves from Varley, and poor finishing from Hull, prevented the lead growing further, but it was inevitable that a fifth goal would arrive sometime, and midway through the half it did. York battled to the end, and indeed enjoyed a better stint of play in the final stages, as couple of dangerous crosses flashed across the face of the Hull goal; but York were unable to secure a consolation goal.
As the cruel nature of sport goes, it was Hull who had the last laugh, as they added to York’s woes, by scoring a sixth in the final minute of the game. For York it was a miserable trip, which leaves them facing a battle against relegation after Christmas with only one win and three defeats to date. It was a disappointing way to end this term’s BUCS fixtures, but the side will be hoping that 2013 proves to be more fruitful than the second half of 2012.
Vision MOTM: Alex Bond