CITY of York Hockey Club's Northern Hockey League premier division season goes from bad to worse.

They crashed 7-1 at Bowden II and have mustered just one point from their opening eight games.

York were rocked by the absence of striker Ben Foster who was injured in midweek training, but that was not an excuse for an ineffective display.

York struggled to keep possession and Bowden, clearly the better side, cashed in on a couple of mistakes to take a 2-0 lead.

Bowden went 3-0 up before City improved and pulled a goal back through Jimmy Gilbert.

But the fourth goal knocked the stuffing out of York who capitulated in the later stages.

Coach Gawaine Hogg knows that the next three games - all against fellow strugglers - will be vital if York are to move off the bottom.

In contrast, City of York II cashed in on a flying start against Durham City I to win 5-3 in division two east.

Kyle Hogg fired home a cross from the right to put York ahead in the first minute and Matt Fletcher added a couple more to put the home side in control. Durham pulled one back before Paul Sangwin netted his first goal in three years from a scrambled short corner to put City 4-1 up.

Although the game was scrappy, Durham reduced the arrears with a couple of goals, but York also went close, hitting the bar before a blistering short corner strike by skipper Nick Carter sealed victory.

City of York III paid for a lack of a cutting edge when they lost 1-0 at Ramgarhia - the only goal being deflected in off a York defender.

York thought they had equalised when the ball was out over the line but the umpire, claiming he was unsighted, disallowed it.

Andy Wilson, set up by Chris Allerton, netted City of York IV's goal in their 4-1 home defeat against Leeds University III in YL division three.

City of York V lost their first division five game of the season when they lost 2-1 at Gainsborough Roses II after leading through skipper Greg Sykes.

Richard Tanner-Smith (2), Ed Mackenzie and skipper Tim Jolly were on target as City of York VI ended a run of defeats by beating Boston Spa V 4-0 in division six.

Graham Todd gave City of York VII the lead at Chapeltown III but eventually lost 3-1 in division eight.

City of York VIII and Chapeltown IV played out a 0-0 draw in which James Goodhall, Richard Walker and Matthew Marshall starred for York.

Goals by Tom Feasby and Nigel Herd gave City of York IX a 2-0 win at Wakefield VI.

Updated: 11:14 Tuesday, November 15, 2005