BACK-TO-BACK defeats consigned City of York men’s I to relegation from the North Hockey League premier division.

The Huntington School side lost 3-1 at home to Brooklands MU II on Saturday and then went down 3-2 at Ben Rhydding I on Sunday.

City are still searching for their first win of the season, having drawn two and lost 17 of their 19 games.

Brooklands controlled large amounts of possession in Saturday’s game and City struggled to make an impact.

The visitors took the lead when a short corner was slotted in past the excellent City goalkeeper Dimitris Varsamidis, despite his best efforts to keep it out.

Brooklands were soon 2-0 up when an initial effort was saved and fell to a forward, who lifted his shot over Varsamidis.

City tried in vain to get on the scoresheet, but were unable to find that crucial composed finish.

The short corners kept coming for Brooklands with the City defenders battling hard to keep them out.

However, when a drag flick hit a City player on the line, Varsamidis was left with no chance from the penalty stroke.

Midway through the second half, City were awarded a penalty stroke after a forward was brought down with a clear goalscoring opportunity.

The penalty flick was saved, but the home side did manage to get on the scoresheet finally when left-back Mike Hugill’s deflection rebounded into the path of forward Mike Carter for a simple finish.

The following day, City made a superb start against Ben Rhydding and should have taken the lead on 30 seconds, but forward Tom Feasby’s shot went inches wide.

City created a host of first-half chances, but were unable to make them count and they went a goal down after a short corner goal from a Rhydding counter-attack.

City levelled when Alex Cockram met a reverse stick pass fired into the Rhydding circle by Ben Bull and deftly deflected the ball past the stranded ’keeper.

Rhydding made two chances count in the second half – the first from a short corner, which was almost kept out by Varsamidis, and then a well struck reverse stick shot which again crept past the City ’keeper.

City pulled a goal back after quick thinking by Cockram in the Rhydding circle allowed the ball to be passed to Maciek Wieczorek and he superbly rounded the goalkeeper to score.

Despite confirmation of the drop, City have vowed to “keep pushing for a win in what has been a torrid season”.

City of York II stepped up their fight for survival at the foot of the Yorkshire League premier division with a second succcessive victory.

The City seconds were 3-2 winners at home to fourth-placed Ben Rhydding II, keeping them four points ahead of second from bottom Old Malton I, who beat Sheffield University Bankers III 5-2.

City started brightly and created early goalmouth chances, but without quite being able to find the killer touch in the ‘D’.

They were rewarded midway through the half when Jonny Scott played in Pat Herriott and, after a scramble with the ’keeper, he was able to turn and find the net.

Against the run of play, Rhydding won a penalty corner which struck a City foot on the line. The penalty stroke was dispatched to make it 1-1.

The visitors then took the lead when another penalty corner found the corner of the net.

Good chances fell to Richard Chandler and Dan Ellwood, but neither could convert and it remained 2-1 at half-time.

City came out in the second period looking to take back the initiative, and got back on terms through Scott, who slapped home the rebound after Ellwood’s penalty corner effort was blocked.

The lead was regained when City clinically counter-attacked, setting Ellwood free on the left and his pin-point ball took the ’keeper out to leave Herriott with a tap in at the back post.