Roses 2010: The Weekend Review

The weekend is over and York have finally returned from the battle; our players are battered, bruised and, in some cases, even bloody. We may be coming back with our hands empty but it was by no means a wasted trip.

It’s very tempting to make excuses as to why our Lancastrian rivals won out the end but really there’s no need. Considering that the home team pick, schedule and weight all the various events the odds are more than favourable for them to bring home the Carter-James trophy. York went in as underdogs and although we couldn’t quite manage a historic fourth consecutive win we certainly didn’t capitulate to Lancaster’s pressure.

York walked into Roses 2010 with a 12 point deficit; clearly this weekend was always going to be a challenge. Despite this we still started positively, the Men’s Cricket 1sts grabbed 4 points on the Thursday afternoon sending Lancaster a message that York have no intention of surrendering.

Friday began with a slow start. Early losses in the indoor football, a sport rarely played in York, threatened make this day a one to forget. However the Men’s Indoor Football 1sts, led by Alcuin’s own Jack Crane, halted a whitewashing with a 4-2 win over the home side. The game was put to bed in somewhat spectacular fashion by late goal volleyed in from deep inside the York half by Crane. Take a bow son!

The indoor hockey was blighted by strange refereeing decisions, the Women’s 1sts being denied 3 goals, turning what should have been a comprehensive York victory into a frustrating 1-1 draw. The Men’s 1st team provided some closure on the subject when they came back from a 2 goal deficit to win 5-3. The sight of a Lancaster player throwing down his water bottle in fit of hysterical anger was enough to send the York support away from a disappointing afternoon with just a hint of a smile.

Out on the sports fields the Ultimate Frisbee team impressed the gathered crowds with some flamboyant passing and breathtaking catches. Performances from Steve Eyre, Captain Jamie Abernethy, and Simon Fox, better known as ‘Womble’, caught our reporter’s eye as they did everything in their power to halt Lancaster from just strolling to victory. Despite losing the points the team suffered no loss to their pride.

Controversy in the Snow Sports meant that Lancaster was able to sneak away with 2 points though York, through the talents of Marleise Neuner and her team, took home the lions share. Those competing in the Judo weren’t so lucky; with York unable to field competitors for 2 of the weight categories Lancaster had something of a head start. York fought back and won their first two matches, Men’s under 81kg and the Women’s over 57kg, but Lancaster managed to win the Men’s under 73kg category to add 3 points to their tally.

The Darts and Pool tournament was, perhaps, the highlight of the day despite Lancaster taking all 16 available points. Our sports staff were treated to over 5 hours of pub games, innumerable pints and an atmosphere that couldn’t have been beaten unless Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor had been competing. The addition of a heavily inebriated and foul-mouthed Lancastrian announcer only served to spur on an already voracious York support.

The day ended with Lancaster on 60.5 while York dawdled behind on 15.5. Not exactly the dream start we had hoped for.

With 125 point up for grabs, the Saturday looked very much like the deciding day. As the dawn broke the Archers had trooped down to college pitches to begin the fight. York’s female archers had the better of the day, winning in both the Novice and Senior team, unfortunately unable to continue this success and succumbed to the accuracy of Lancaster.

The mixed volleyball provided the best win of the day, when York who were down 2 sets managed to scrap a win in the 3rd set and stay in the game. Needing to win the final two sets they held firm and beat a shocked Lancaster. The men’s team built on the club’ success and, later that day, won in straight sets to rack up 8 points for the White Rose.

At the football pitches the day didn’t go so well for York, a disheartening day saw all four teams lose their games. Horrendous weather conditions in the Men’s 1sts and 2nds made playing conditions practically unbearable, neither game looked particularly attractive as York went down to two very scrappy defeats. The Women’s Football 1sts fared even worse as the Lancaster A.U. President knocked in her hat trick to make it 5-0. The late addition of our own Sport President, Emily Scott, did little to lift the team’s performance and they eventually staggered off the field well and truly beaten.

York fared a lot better in Rugby Union 7’s continuing the club’s immaculate form into the tournament. The Men’s 1sts, 2nds and 3rds all recorded victories over the Red Rose while the Women played out an exciting 12-12 draw. The Men’s Squash 1sts also did the White Rose proud as they won 5 out of 5 games to make up for the women’s whitewashing at the hands of Lancaster.

The big pull of the day was the Canoe Polo; with 8 canoes in the water at any time, elevated nets at either end and several of the players capsizing the match was rightly called a spectacle. A valiant effort by the women’s team couldn’t stop Lancaster recording a 6-0 victory though the open team managed to pinch a point for York with an embattled 2-2 draw. The day ended with the home side having stretched their advantage to a 60 point lead and York being left perilously close to playing for nothing but pride.

Finally we came to the final day of Roses and, considering many of the matches played weren’t worth any points, it looked like York would have to pull a miracle out of the bag to win.

The day started with Women’s Volley Ball and Lancaster managed to pull off exactly the same feat as York did the day before in the mixed event: coming back from two sets down to claim victory in a tense final set.

Elsewhere the Centurions, York’s American Football team, were more or less dominated by Lancaster in their game and, despite valiant efforts, Sam Asfahni’s team were beaten 22-6 allowing Lancaster to pick another 4 points.

York was well represented in the Ballroom Dancing in an exciting and far more amicable competition than elsewhere in the tournament. Luke Malkin and Sarah Cook led the team to an elegant victory and scooped 3 out of the 4 points available for the event.

Unfortunately Lancaster managed to gather the required 132 points for victory just before one o’clock, leaving York frustrated but playing for pride.

Next came was more drama on the sports fields and, after an unfortunate injury which required the attention of an air ambulance, the Women’s rugby was finished early and ended with a five all draw.

The afternoon was not a total disappointment, however, with all three Men’s Rugby teams achieving a whitewash over Lancaster which included a 45-0 thrashing for Lancaster in the 2nds match and a nail-biting 1sts match which saw York win by only the slightest of margins, the final score being 19-17.

York’s spirits in the closing ceremony were very low and even a performance by the Lancaster Dance Society and the comedy provided by various comments sent onto the twitter backdrop could not lift them. The cheering and chants from Lancaster as they celebrated their victory and as their AU President Sue Wynes lifted the Carter-James Trophy was also too much for many York supporters to bare.

In the end the final score came to Lancaster 157.5 York 105.5 but York were still able to leave Lancaster with their heads held high following a weekend of brilliant performances from a multitude of athletes and teams, many of them already plotting their revenge for next year’s Roses.

Photos on this page by Daniel Gilks