The York 1sts’ resurgence up the BUCS league table was halted as top-of-the-table Durham condemned them to a crushing defeat. Having lost their first three games, which saw them at the foot of the table and knocked out of the cup at the first attempt, York’s revival had seen them move up to third after victories over Newcastle and Leeds’ 2nds, and following their narrow 46-47 defeat to Durham back in October, they were hunting for revenge against a side unbeaten in the league this season.
It was Durham who set the early pace for the game. Excellent build-up play saw numerous chances created and Durham rushed into a 8-17 first period lead. York, on the other hand, were often pinned back by the opposition and despite great levels of commitment, their hard work was only ultimately rewarded with a few penalties, only managing 4 points from open play and only Deniz Ekran really showing anything of any real quality as Durham dominated and showed the quality that has seen them rack up a points difference of 134 in just six matches.
The second quarter saw York come back into the game and match “The Wildcats” for long periods. The substitutions made had an effective impact, with Ben Elliot in particular showing great skill in keeping Durham at bay to chants of “DE-FENCE!” from the York bench. Jassen Liu and Ben Barrett scored the majority of York’s points, with Barrett in particular allowing York to build great counter-attacks with his dynamic play which repeatedly gave Durham’s defence problems. Despite this, Durham still moved into the half-way point 12 points ahead, having taken the majority of the chances presented to them, as their quality outshone York’s defensive heroics, which showed huge progress compared with their first quarter effort.
York continued to put in a gutsy performance throughout the third and fourth quarters as they sought to frustrate Durham. Whilst successful in riling a couple of the opposition, it did not affect the flowing play of a Durham side seemingly destined for promotion. Each attack oozed almost effortless class, as their flowing play matched their excellent shooting accuracy. York’s responses often came from Sam Bentley who, along with Ekran, put in a performance that will give heart to a team whom, from the result, it appeared were outclassed. The third quarter, similar to the second, was fairly even, although the superior quality of the opposition saw York fall further behind.
As the final period dragged on, the game became sloppy, with York committing numerous fouls and conceding free throws, and Durham saw out the game without needing to be at their ominous best. On this performance, Durham are a certainty for promotion, whilst mid-table mediocracy beckons for a York side comparatively low on quality but unquestionably committed. York will have easier games than this as the season continues, but it was a wake-up call for a side whose confidence had been restored by recent performances.