CONFIRMATION of City of York Hockey Club’s return to the premier division of the North League was sealed by an emphatic 6-1 smiting of hosts Preston II.

With only 12 available players, York expected a tough tussle and were soon a goal down as they paid for a tentative start.

But, once Alex Cockram slapped in a leveller, York took command.

Dan Ellwood collected a ball from Ant Bull on the baseline and flicked it home to nudge ahead.

York soon made it 3-1 after a breakdown from a short corner, and the ball was played across the Preston goal for captain Oli Couttie to flick in on his reverse stick.

Cockram struck again for a season tally of 27 goals and after half-time the icing was glazed on to the cake with another Ellwood strike before the rout ended with a first senior goal from Sam Engleman.

A disciplined display underpinned a fine 2-1 home win for City of York II over high- flying Yorkshire League premier division outfit Leeds III.

City took an early lead through Pat Herriott after excellent work by man-of-the-match Mark Little.

Robbie Unsworth was only denied a goal by a superb save.

City started the second half perfectly when Herriott and Unsworth combined to square for Dan Tompkins, who beat his man and slipped the ball coolly under the keeper to make it 2-0.

Though Leeds pulled a goal back, York saw the game out to secure a well deserved three points.

A stern show of defiance was enjoyed by City of York III, whose depleted ranks still eked out a 1-0 win in division two at Ramgharia I.

City keeper Brian Ignjatovic was in sterling form and just before half-time the decisive strike was notched by the impressive Jonathan Trowsdale.

Short-corners proved the undoing in division three for City of York IV as they crashed to the same routine four times. Though they created numerous chances York could not find a way through and suffered a 4-0 defeat.

Division four north safety was all but guaranteed after City of York V’s 4-0 hammering of Harrogate IV.

The plunder was shared between Jack Fletcher and Will De Silva, who bagged two goals apiece.

City of York VI continued their run of good division five north form after a comfortable 2-0 win at Leeds Adel.

The midfield axis of Rob Smith and Freddie Vahey ran the show with goals either side of the half-time interval from Jack Harrington and James Hogg.

A half-time rollicking inspired City of York VII to a share of the division five north points against Huddersfield IV.

York Press:

SLIDE RULERS: City of York II’s Dominic Firth at full stretch

York trailed at the interval, but gained in authority after the break to duly equalise through Jonathan Scutt after astute approach play from Richard Tanner-Smith and Sam Wilkes.

The same scoreline was mustered by City of York VIII for a division six north point at home to Bradford III. The York marksman was Guy Shrimpton.

City of York’s development side conceded an early goal and one just before half-time to trail 2-0 to Airedale.

But pacy attacking adventure from Jack Allerton and Robert Bradley-Consitt caused problems for Airedale in the second half.

It was they who combined for the latter to score before the concession of another goal yielded a 3-1 defeat.