CITY of York Hockey Club's men's first team continued their free-fall down the North League premier division.

They were crushed 7-1 at Durham University and York's blazing start to the season seems a long way away.

They lost only one of their opening seven games but since losing some of their more experienced members in November they have struggled.

They came unstuck at Durham on a water-based pitch and despite showing plenty of fight the young York side were only able to score once with a Simon Grey reverse stick shot.

The students' romp was completed when Ashley Watson in York's goal saved a penalty stroke but the ball rebounded back to the taker who slotted it home.

City of York II fought back from a goal down inside two minutes to beat Marton Furness I 4-1.

Things got worse when David Brooks was sin-binned for kicking the ball off the pitch.

But York pulled themselves together to play some good stuff with Chris Dutton at the hub of many attacks.

Lee Cuffe had a goal ruled out but York continued to press and were rewarded with goals by Nick Carter, Cuffe, Roz Ramli and Dutton.

Richard Coackram was City of York III's marksman in a 7-1 defeat at Hudderfield I in Yorkshire League division one.

It was the third string's worst display of the season by a long way.

Six goals were shared by City of York IV and Boston Spa II in their niggly division four encounter.

On target for York, who trailed 3-1, were Andy Wilson(2) and Malcolm Cossey.

Goals by David de Silva and Danny Turton gave City of York V a 2-1 victory in an entertaining division five encounter.

Denis Hooton and Andy Potts had excellent games for York.

Despite limited possession, City of York VI drew 2-2 at Tadcaster in division seven.

Greg Sykes's long run set up Les Reed's opener for York and, after Tad equalised, Reed netted again from the spot after an Alex Herriott shot was stopped by a foot on the line.

Tadcaster hit back to level again and it needed good work by net-minder Nathan Sorby and defender Keith Falconer to preseve York's point.

City of York VII suffered from a late start after visitors Leeds University VI got stuck in A64 traffic.

York, chasing promotion from division eight, never really got going and lost 2-1, their goal coming from Neil Reader after good work by Tim Jolly and James Still.

Oliver Bonney had a good game on his senior debut despite City of York VIII's 7-0 hiding at Leeds VI in division ten.

Updated: 09:33 Tuesday, March 08, 2005