- Photo: Rachael Venables
The Ultimate Varsity match yesterday between ‘York Ultimate’ and ‘Hulltimate’ Frisbee teams saw a fantastic comeback from the York side, who were able to seize a 5-4 win against Hull, despite being 4-0 down at half time.
Controversies abounded before the game, when it turned out that Hull had brought a team of nine men to a mixed match. York were able to stand their ground against Hull, fielding a line of 3 girls and 2 boys for the first point.
The game got off to a slow start, with the disk changing possession multiple times, as well as several contested points. Both Hull and York caught the disk in their respective endzones, but calls of foul before the score made the points void.
Hull’s perseverance with the disk paid off however, as Jack Gallagher (77) scored the first point, 6 minutes into the game. York continued to put up a strong offensive, however when Hull changed their defensive strategy from man-defense to a zone play, York found it much harder to gain ground. Hull were then able to score three more times in the next ten minutes.
York’s fortunes were about to change however, as a turnover in Hull’s endzone saw a pitch length throw from ex-Captain Steve Eyre, which was brought down in York’s endzone by first year player Tom Coward.
After this Hull seemed to lose their composure, and York scored their next three points fairly comfortably, with scores by Eyre, and Jamie Smith, the team’s Captain.
The match reached its final minute with both teams drawing 4-4. Hull began extra time on the offensive, taking possession of the disk, but they proved impatient to score, and York were able to capitalize on their mistakes.
Finally, a throw by Dave Fairweather was caught by Tom Haines in the endzone and the game ended with a
fantastic victory for the home team.
Speaking after the match, Haines said “It was a fantastic game, York has a tendency to lose hope after they go a few points down in match, but I guess it showed how much this game meant to us.”
The ‘York Ultimate’ mixed Varsity team were: Jamie Smith (Captain, 20), Steve Eyre (3), Dave Fairweather (13), Ed Green (42), Tom Coward (5), Tom Haines (52), Sarah Donaldson (17), Rachel McCulloch (6), Annie Hughes (27), Katie Brown (9).