CITY of York Ladies are on the brink of relegation from the North Hockey Women’s League premier division.

A 4-1 defeat at home to Didsbury Northern left the club eight points adrift at the bottom of the table with three games to play.

York II secured a 4-1 victory at Selby I in the Yorkshire Women’s Hockey League premier division. Goals from Celia Prentice (2) and Fay Chapman put York 3-0 ahead before Selby pulled a goal back. York played attractive hockey after the interval and Kelly Hunter’s goal completed the win following good work by Corinne Wray.

York III dropped to the bottom of the table after losing 5-0 at home to promotion chasing Leeds Adel II.

Player of the match Heather MacDonald kept the Adel attack under control in the early stages but they eventually got on top.

It has also been a bad week for York IV. Back-to-back defeats against Northallerton I and Driffield II mean they are three points adrift of safety at the bottom of division one.

Goalkeeper Sarah Pritchett was player of the match on her debut in a 3-1 midweek defeat at Northallerton. Against Driffield II this weekend, COY slipped up again, losing 2-0.

Rebecca Feetenby attacked the Driffield goal relentlessly in the opening stages but it was Driffield who took the lead after 12 minutes. The York defence worked tirelessly against a pacey Driffield attack with consistency shown by Karen Huck and Ruth Painter.

Midfielders Anna Good and Lauren Susnjara kept the Driffield players on the back foot but an equaliser never arrived and Driffield doubled their lead.

In division four north, York V lost 1-0 to promotion-chasing Leeds Adel IV who scored against the run-of-play.

York VI lost 8-1 at Bradford I and are sliding towards the drop zone. They have now lost five games in a row, conceding 26 goals along the way.

Tadcaster Magnets I, who are sixth in division one, beat second placed Bridlington I but lost to fourth placed Driffield II.

Tadcaster Magnets II lost 7-2 at University of Leeds VII in division five north.