EIGHT wins on the spin were secured by the University of York men’s first rugby union team.

The 31-29 nervy triumph over Hull kept them top of their British Universities and Colleges table with four games to play over the next fortnight.

They made hard work of it with Will Sharp scoring his third try with just two minutes to go to seal victory. Hugh Draycott and Conan Osborne were the other scorers.

Said captain Sam Lord: “Out of ten, I would give us a three to be honest. We were just lucky enough to score every time we put something together.

“If we play like that we sure as hell aren’t going up.”

There was a late twist on the 3G pitch at the York Sport Village, too, as James Davies kept the men’s football firsts’ promotion hopes alive with a last-gasp leveller against leaders Leeds Met.

York had led early in the first half after Dalton Harris bundled a header over the line, but the visitors turned things around and looked in control for long spells.

It seemed as if York would pay for their wastefulness, but with less than a minute to play Davies popped up at the back post to strike a beautifully controlled volley into the top corner.

Captain Matt Mawdesley said: “We needed a win really, and it wasn’t our best performance.

“In the first half we were terrible, a bit better in the second once we made a few changes. They’re a good side and defended well, and I think we were quite lucky to get the goal at the end.”

More comfortable were the football thirds, whose 5-0 win over Sunderland guaranteed promotion.

There was no such joy, though, for the men’s badminton firsts, whose hopes of ascending from the Northern Conference 2B were dashed by defeat at home to leaders Sheffield.

Despite Sheffield forfeiting two doubles matches, York were unable to find the win that would see them leapfrog their opponents into top spot.

York only took one game out of the six that were played – a singles win for Baillie Watterson, recently-crowned YorkSport’s player of the tournament at Varsity.

The black and gold’s women’s basketball team lost a tight encounter against Leeds Met, though they could be proud of a performance against the leaders.

With just six minutes to play, York were within two points at 44-46, but ultimately lost 56-65.