YORK Volleyball Club men's team staged a stirring rally to down National League division three north leaders City of Sheffield II.

York had comfortably disposed of bottom outfit Wigan Seahawks 3-0 (25-16, 26-24 25-18) in only 72 minutes before their eagerly-awaited collision against their Sheffield rivals at Joseph Rowntree School.

In a stunning duel, York countered from 2-0 down to triumph 3-2 (19-25, 21-25, 27-25, 30-28, 15-8) after 118 minutes of gruelling play. The win hoisted York to third in the table.

Sheffield, previously unbeaten in the league, had won 3-1 against York earlier in the season.

But York were better prepared this time, having rested one of their main attackers, Adam Kowalski, in the first meeting.

At 18-18, the first set was finely balanced before Sheffield capitalised on wild hitting errors to take the set 25-19.

Early success for York in the second set was soon overhauled by the visitors, who doubled their advantage with a 25-21 win.

Sheffield forged a 15-9 lead in the third set which was heading the woeful way of the previous two until the crucial intervention of Kowalski.

He hit eight hard-float serves from deep behind the baseline, swerving the ball so much that Sheffield's previously consistent side-out game was completely disrupted.

Sheffield still reached match point at 24-23, but a time-out by the York coach Pascal Charles kept minds focused and York won the side-out and the set 27-25 to keep the match alive.

Smarting from that loss, Sheffield surged to 8-4 and 10-5 leads, but York clawed back the deficit, with all spikers firing.

Particularly impressive was Kowalski, playing his first match through the middle for York. His speed and physical presence at the net won many points.

York levelled at 18-18 apiece and then edged 20-18 ahead thanks to a four-point service run from Bartek Bąkowski. The lead changed hands a couple of times before York forced Sheffield to save four set points until captain Adam Meszczynski and Kowalski, on front court and Adam Kupka providing lethal back court attacks, nudged York to a 30-28 success and forcing a fifth-set tie-break.

There was only one likely winner in the fifth, York storming through as 15-8 and overall 3-2 winners.

The MVP (Most Valuable Player) was the York setter, Yuki Takahashi, a Japanese student from York St John University, who directed the York attack to great effect.

York's next National League action is against Team Durham and Haughton Darlington on January 25.

Always seeking new players, York VC has three men's teams, three women's teams, junior boys' and girls' teams.

For more information, visit www.yorkvolleyball.org.uk or phone Mike Turner on 07712 180463.