80 YEARS AGO

IN A week when Hull Corporation decided to revive the Humber Bridge project at a cost of £2,500,000 – it was eventually opened to traffic in June 1981 – York Rugby League Club played their last game of the season.

They were at home to Salford in a match that was more important to the visitors as they were chasing a top-four berth for a league semi-final.

Both sides were understrength, with Salford missing their five Australian tourists, but fielding the same team that beat Huddersfield.

However, they were no match for York, who notched a fifth straight win, with tries coming from Fender and Western.

Leeds United issued a retained list of 32 players, while York City retained only eight –Ted Wass, Ted Hathway, Jack Pinder, Peter Spooner, Stan Fox, Jimmy Hughes, Eddie Legge and Harry Green.

50 YEARS AGO

CENTRE forward Ian Burden made a dream debut for York City, scoring both of their goals in the 2-0 victory at Exeter City.

His first goal was a header in the 21st minute and his second a shot in the 85th minute, which sealed the Minstermen's first away win since September 18 at Hull.

Centre half Barry Jackson, goalkeeper Harry Fallon and forward Norman Wilkinson were the visitors' stand-out players.

In their previous match, City had held visitors Walsall until the 70th minute before conceding three goals in 15 minutes, all from defensive blunders.

York Rugby League Club had three home games in a week, and started off with a 16-4 defeat against Yorkshire Cup holders Bradford Northern, with the hosts paying for handling and passing errors.

Better news followed, however, with a 22-6 win against Dewsbury, who were playing their third game in as many days.

Three tries in six first-half minutes decided the outcome, with the touchdowns coming from debutant Tony Sullivan, Rippon and Foster, Rippon adding a fourth try later on.

The best was saved until last, however, with a 41-8 romp in the summer sunshine against Doncaster, Storey, Quinn, Sullivan, Walton, Evans, Bill Drake, Crosby, Horner and Walker all bagging tries.

In the days before away goals counting double and penalty shoot-outs, Leeds United met Real Zaragoza in the second leg of their Inter-Cities Fairs Cup tie, having been beaten 1-0 in Spain.

Albert Johanneson equalised at Elland Road before Brazilian forward Canario made it 1-1 on the night.

It looked like United were on their way out until Jack Charlton powered home a header to tie the aggregate score at 2-2, with United winning the toss to stage the replay the following Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Barcelona defeated Chelsea 2-0 in the first leg of the other semi-final in front of 60,000 at Camp Nou.

York Golf Club's Catherine Bell, 22, became Yorkshire women's champion with a one-hole victory over former winner Gillian Beck at Fixby, Huddersfield.

20 YEARS AGO

YOU can see both sides of the story when amateur leagues or county FAs want to stage cup finals at their local professional ground.

The amateur organisations want the kudos of having their showpiece matches at the club many of them probably support, while for the players it could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play there.

Meanwhile, the professional clubs, while wanting to show willing, may have had a crop of home matches in a short space of time due to a wet winter and may want to protect their pitch or even start summer repair work.

York & District FA president Arnold Myers was not happy that they couldn't play their senior and junior finals at Bootham Crescent, with the Minor League finals staged instead at York Wasps' Ryedale Stadium, but York City said that they had had five home matches in ten days before pitch maintenance work was due to start, and that they hadn't received the request to play the matches there until April 16.

Yorkshire County Cricket Club looked as if they had a real one-day side, winning both of their opening Benson & Hedges Cup matches, defeating Nottinghamshire by 69 runs and reaching a 290 target to beat Worcestershire by six wickets with five balls to spare.

David Byas (81) and man-of-the-match Craig White (57 not out in 49 balls) weighed in as the White Rose made 247-7 against Notts before dismissing them for 178, Alex Wharf taking 4-29 and Richard Stemp 2-33 as former Yorkshire player Ashley Metcalfe gave a reminder of his talent with 66.

Michael Bevan won the gold award for his 80 against Worcestershire, backed up by 67 from Martyn Moxon, 60 from Michael Vaughan and 43 from Anthony McGrath.

York lost to Doncaster by six wickets in the Yorkshire League but bounced back to defeat Pickering Town by nine wickets in the Abbot Ale Cup first round, thanks to skipper Ian Dews (62no and 2-13), Alexis Twigg (49), Greg How (3-15) and Alex Backhouse (2-9).