York’s football teams won two of three games on the first day of White Rose Varsity.
York Medics Men’s 1sts 2 – 3 Hull Medics Men’s 1sts
In a close game, Hull Medics eventually ran out winners, benefiting from lapses in concentration from York’s defenders.
Within minutes of the kick-off, York centre-back Stu Haldon played a risky ball across the edge of his own penalty area. This was intercepted by an opportunistic Hull striker, who took his chance to put his team ahead.
Some hard tackles were flying in, not least from the Hull number 8, who launched into a superb sliding tackle, winning the ball before strutting away confidently, not realising the ball was still in play and sat in the mud unattended.
York became more creative as the half progressed; Matt Fortnam and Greg Chambers both went close with long-range efforts. However, the next goal went against them. Hull were awarded a penalty, which Dan Callingham saved with great agility, but their taker was first to the rebound. 0-2.
Captain Matt Fortnam got a goal back for his team from the game’s second penalty. He needed no rebound; scoring at the first time of asking with great conviction.
But Hull had their two-goal cushion again before long; their centre-forward took the ball around Callingham and caught up with the ball just in time to slot it into an empty net.
York were down, but not out. Fortnam made the last few minutes uncomfortable for Hull by making it 2-3 with another assured finish. But Hull held out until full-time.
York Medics 2nds 3 – 2 Hull Medics 2nds
York Medics 2nds came out on top in another thrill-a-minute tie.
They took a first-half lead with goals from Johnny Pawson and Taylor Messenger goals, but fell victim to that old adage: “2-0 up is the most dangerous score in the game”; Faran Vela clawed one back for Hull from the penalty spot (the third in two Medics matches), and soon after, they found an equaliser.
York managed to regain composure just in time, and Patel scored a late goal to break Hull hearts.
York Women’s 1sts 6 – 1 Hull Women’s 2nds
Hull could not provide the same level of competition in the women’s football as they had in the medics’ and were rolled over by a rampant York side, who have put six past their opponent for the second time in ten days.
The home side took an early lead when Rose Hooks was fouled in the penalty area. Captain Katy Ballantyne, who didn’t manage to get in on the scoring in the 6-0 round against Leeds, smashed the ball in via the crossbar.
The lead was doubled by a superb long-range Bethan Pugh goal. Gaby Stewart found her on the edge of the area, where Pugh took a touch to bring the ball onto her right foot, and let fly; the ball nestling into the net just under the crossbar and inside the far post.
It was 3-0 just before half-time. Ruth Welford made a darting run down the right and delivered a pinpoint cross for Rose Hook, who tapped over the line.
Welford’s runs were causing Hull great problems. She was allowed to stroll right through the heart of their defence twice, but fired into the side netting both times; striving to reach the ball with her right foot when it might have been easier with her left. However, her confidence in her right foot was validated when she opened the scoring for the second half: she rode a couple of a tackles and laced the ball into the top corner.
At 4-0 up, York we issued a reminder that the game was not over. Goalkeeper Megan Phillips was to blame when a long range Hull free-kick trickled through the box and over the line.
If the game had not already been put to sleep, Bea Rye made sure of it; cutting inside and tucking the ball inside the post left-footed with surgical precision. A tidy Cruyff-turn from Rye featured in the build up to the last goal, which was confidently put away by Katy Ballantyne. Her second, and the game’s sixth.
Ballantyne commented after the match “we outplayed Hull in difficult conditions, and I’m happy with the win”.
The York women’s 1sts’ unprecedented dominance is unlikely to be a sign of things to come. This season’s results in BUCS suggest that the men’s teams will face a tougher challenge; York 1sts lost 4-0 when they visited Hull in November. They will be itching to set the record straight in tomorrow’s game at 12pm on 22 acres.