UNDER-STRENGTH City of York Hockey Club men’s I were edged out 3-2 at Bowden in the North League premier division.

Missing a host of players through illness and unavailability, City of York performed superbly in the first half and held a 1-0 interval lead through Danny Ellwood after good work by skipper Chris Wilson and Alex Cockram.

City of York nearly doubled the lead when Mike Carter’s flick hit the outside of a post, while a defence including second-team stand-in Mike Hugill kept the hosts at bay.

The second half was a completely different story as City of York failed to impose themselves on the opposition and Bowdon gradually took control and forge into a 3-1 lead.

The visitors responded by throwing on an extra player up front and that paid dividends when Ellwood grabbed his second with a neat deflection from a pin-point pass by Carter. However, there was no time for an equaliser.

Division one leaders City of York II maintained their 100 per cent home record with a 5-2 win over third-placed Rotherham I in the Yorkshire League.

York, who moved 15 points clear at the top of the table with the win, took the lead when Dan Tompkins swept the ball home after a goalmouth scramble from a penalty corner.

On the stroke of half-time, they doubled their lead when Pete Fitton broke and set Matt Hays free, who squared for captain Alex Fletcher to find the roof of the net.

Rotherham pulled one back early in the second half, but York surged into a four-goal lead thanks to three own goals.

Rotherham got a consolation in the final two minutes.

City of York III’s advantage at the top of division two is being whittled away following their 5-2 defeat at Wakefield III.

Wakefield opened the scoring against the run of play but York levelled within five minutes through man of the match Rob Chamberlin.

York took the lead with a quick break and pass to Alex Herriott, whose reverse shot hit a post and went in.

Wakefield fought back with two short corner goals and then added a fourth before half-time.

The home side scored the only goal of the second half, while York went down to ten men when Alex Herriott was yellow-carded.

City of York IV were 6-3 home winners over Doncaster IV in division three.

Will Bowen scored a hat-trick and there were also goals for Zach Moore, Greg Sykes and Dave Dick.

Promotion-chasing City of York V won 2-0 at University of York III in division five north.

Second-placed City stayed 11 points clear of third-placed Leeds V thanks to goals from Nick Carter, with a first-half flick, and Mark Moisley, who netted after the break.

In the same division, City of York VI were edged out 2-1 by Wakefield IV in a thrilling encounter.

A defensive error gifted Wakefield a goal midway through the first half, but York levelled after the break when James Wallis and Joe Ball linking up with debutant Nick Phillips and skipper Richard Tanner-Smith scored with a reverse smash.

The visitors then came under increasing pressure from York, but hopes of a home win were shattered when Wakefield netted a late winner.

City of York VIII fought back from 2-0 down to claim a 2-2 draw with Wakefield VI in division seven.

Wakefield took the lead midway through the first half, and York were unable to turn their pressure into goals.

Shortly after half-time Wakefield struck again, but that sparked York into life and they responded quickly with a goal from a Danny Vaughan short corner. York created a host of chances and produced the equaliser their performance deserved when Adam Iyer shot high into the net. City of York X went down 1-0 to Bradford’s development team in a tight match.

Chances were few and far between and the match appeared to be heading towards a 0-0 draw when Bradford converted a rare shot on goal with about 12 minutes remaining.