SAVE THAT: City of York's Chris Wilson tests Boston Spa keeper Graham Brown, above, while York's Gareth Jones tries to halt Spa's Stuart Dale during their clash at York University playing fields which City won 3-2.

Postponements played havoc with City of York's planned programme of club matches, but the second team flew the flag for the club beating Boston Spa's first team 3-2 at York University.

Having knocked Acomb out of the Yorkshire Second XI Cup 12-0 last weekend, City were anxious to keep up their impressive form, but on a near frozen pitch found life a little harder against Boston.

Despite the conditions it turned out to be a very physical game and City took time to adapt to the conditions and Spa's robust style.

They trailed 1-0 at the interval but, after a stern pep talk, began to match and then better their rivals in the second epriod.

They drew level with a Peter Richardson strike from a short corner and then pulled ahead when Chris Wilson managed to deflected a cross beyond the grasp of Spa keeper Graham Brown.

Richardson then put City firmly in control with a third, but late in the game missed an open goal and thus spurned a hat-trick and a chance to buy his team-mates the traditional after match jug.

Boston did manage to reply from a well worked short corner but York were in enough control to hang on for victory.

City of York IV travelled to Driffield and came away comfortable 7-1 winners.

They powered into a 4-1 half-time lead with goals from Nick Kay (2), Pat Birch and Andy Kay, while stand-in keeper Mark Dransfield was relieved to see little action.

The pattern continued after the break and Nick Kay went on to take his tally to four with Ian Wiggins completing the rout.

City of York VI, the club's youth development side, travelled to Adel only to find that the Leeds club's astroturf pitch was frozen and too dangerous to play a competitive league fixture.

However, the two captains compromised and settled for a friendly match of "push hockey" and York started brightly enough only to concede a goal after 20 minutes when poor marking allowed Adel their chance and the home side built on that to take a three goal lead.

However, York hit back before half-time when centre forward Marco Dukic broke through and rifled his shot past the advancing Adel keeper.

They maintained that momentum into the second half and further reduced the arrears when Jonny Bell ghosted past a couple of defenders to score.

With Luke Ramli, Olly Scully and Richard Jenkins all impressing, York got themselves right back into it when a Mark McKie strike from a penalty corner was deflected in by Iva Dukic, but Adel managed to snatch a winner in the last minute.

York women's first team had their final North League match of 1999 postponed due to Liverpool Sefton's pitch being frozen. Their league campaign resumes in February.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.