LAURA HORNE struck a hat-trick to give City of York Hockey Club Ladies I a 3-2 win at basement side Leeds II.

City are mid-table in Yorkshire & North East League Women's premier division, six points off a top-five spot going into the Christmas break.

The Minster city outfit started strongly, playing fast and accurate balls around the pitch, sustaining a strong attack - but missed a number of opportunities.

But shortly before half-time, Horne put the visitors ahead from a fantastic counter-attack.

Leeds made a strong start to the second half and turned the game on its head with two quick goals.

With smooth passing work, York got back in control and Horne slotted in her second before getting the winner with minutes to go to the final whistle.

Vicky Skilton's goal earned City II a 1-1 draw at home to division one Yorkshire high-flyers Slazenger I.

In a season-best performance for the team, City's back line - led by player-of-the-match Megan Boocock - did well against an organised Slazenger attack in the first half.

The visitors took the lead from a second-half penalty corner but captain Skilton won them a point with a penalty stroke just before full-time.

City III pulled towards the leading pack in division one moor & dale with a 2-0 win at Slazenger II.

Lucy Tate touched the ball past the keeper from a pass into the 'D' to open the scoring for fast-starters York.

Lauren Simpson, Annabel Howells-Lee and player-of-the-match Bea Thompson kept the Slazenger defence busy but York could not convert any of their numerous short corners.

A second-half short corner finally paid dividends, Liz Armitage slotting in.

City IV's home game against Brid-lington I in division two moor & dale.

In the same division, third-placed Acomb drew 3-3 at home to table-toppers Scarborough I.

City V finished 2021 second in division one moor after a 2-1 win at Tadcaster Magnets II thanks to goals from Sarah Davies and Rebecca Copperthwaite.

The division one moor derby between City VI and VII was called off because of a frozen pitch.

City of York Men II suffered their eighth defeat of the 10-game-old Yorkshire & North East League division one Yorkshire season, going down 5-4 at Wakefield II.

The Minster city outfit sit third-from-bottom in the table, level on six points with the two sides behind them, Harrogate III and basement side City of York III.

There was no game for City III at the weekend with their home game against Sheffield Bankers II called off because of a frozen pitch.

City I, meanwhile, had a bye weekend in the premier division.

City IV are five points off the foot of the table after going down 5-0 at Sheffield Hallam III in division two Yorkshire.

In a very tepid first half, saw City were second-best in pretty much every aspect of the game and found themselves 3-0 down at half-time.

The visitors fared better in the second half, showing an improved desire and creating a number of chances. City could not find the net, though, and succumbed to two more late goals.

A brace from Alex Stephenson and a single strike from Jonathan Scutt earned City V a 3-1 home win over division one moor & dale's bottom side Bradford II.

Stephenson opened the scoring for third-placed City, who took the one-goal lead into the break.

After the restart, Stephenson netted his second before Scutt put the game beyond Bradford.

The visitors got a late consolation.

In the same division, mid-table Acomb I lost 5-0 at leaders Leeds Adel III.

City VI lost 4-2 at division two moor & dale's fifth-placed side Ben Rhydding IV.

The visitors moved the ball around well, causing some problems for Ben Rhydding, but the hosts gained the upper hand by going two up from a short corner and a breakaway, then netting a third before the break.

Goals from Tom Feetenby and Andrew Thomson got York right back in it but Ben Rhydding rode out the pressure and snuck a final goal from slack passing from York.

Dan Waite's strike arrested a run of seven straight defeats for City VII, who drew 1-1 at home to table-toppers Ben Rhydding III.

Though the division two moor & dale leaders took the lead, City heads did not drop and Waite quickly restored parity with a narrow-angled finish.

City performed well in the face of strong opposition, defending stoutly when they were temporarily reduced to 10 men.

City VIII were denied the chance to improve on their second-placed position in division one moor as ground conditions forced the postponement of their game at Scarborough III.

They lost ground to perfect table-toppers Thirsk II, who added an eighth win of the season by beating Acomb II 3-0.

Father-and-son double-act Ernest and Jean-Paul Wordsworth netted, with Adam Dobson adding, as City IX beat visiting Scarborough II 3-1 in the same division.

City X had a bye weekend in Yorkshire League Men's Development north division.