A SPOT-kick lottery ended the hopes of the York and District Leeper Hare League representative side from lifting the inaugural Ernie Fairclough Challenge Cup.

Dubbed the 'match of the season', the York side tackled their Scarborough and District counterparts at Pickering for the first time in more than a decade and were beaten after a penalty shoot-out.

The two sides could not be separated at the end of 90 minutes with the scores locked at 1-1.

York took the lead through Pocklington Town's Baz Gargett, only for former York City junior Steve Roberts to pull Scarborough level on the hour mark.

With no more goals coming in normal time the tie went to penalties, with Scarborough emerging victorious 4-2.

The hero for Scarborough was stand-in goalkeeper Wayne Aziz. Normally a winger for Edgehill, Aziz saved two York spot-kicks after donning the gloves when 'Boro's keeper, Jamie Freeman, was taken-off suffering from blurred vision.

It is hoped the fixture will go on to become a permanent fixture in the local footballing calendar for years to come.

The Ernie Fairclough Trophy, named in honour of York's 'Mr Football', was provided by the York League.

Fairclough died last year but helped re-establish the York representative squad three years ago.

However, York gained their revenge in the Tony Aveyard Trophy when the York FA Under-17 side beat their Scarborough counterparts 1-0 at Pickering.

The only goal came in the 18th minute through man-of-the-match James Barrett (Poppleton).

The trophy was presented by Eric Comery of the Scarborough FA.

Updated: 09:20 Friday, March 14, 2003