City of York Hockey Club ladies first team’s North League division one promotion hopes were jolted by an unlucky 4-3 defeat at Lancaster.

They started well, adapting to a fast bouncy pitch and took the lead from open play when Laura Horne reacted to a ball that rebounded off the ’keeper.

However, the lead was short lived, Lancaster equalising almost immediately.

This didn’t stop York as they continued to link well with each other to maintain possession.

They regained the lead from a short corner routine when Kirsty Rossington deflected home a Sam Binns strike.

Again York were unable to defend their lead as Lancaster levelled soon later. The hosts started the second half with more drive and attack and, for the first time in the match, went in front.

A Ness Fox strike was overruled after the umpire prematurely blew for a short corner.

Good passages of play from Lancaster saw them extend their lead midway through the second half while York continued to spurn chances.

Ali Butler halved the arrears five minutes from time, smashing the ball past the ’keeper.

Then, in the last minute, York believed they had rescued a share of the points when Sam Binns found the backboard from a short corner.

The umpire signalled goal but soon ruled it out after the shot was deemed to have crossed the line above backboard height and too high to count.