CITY of York I came a cropper at Wigan, who gained revenge for a defeat earlier in the Northern Hockey League premier division.

York began well and looked capable of causing Wigan all kinds of problems but again failed to find their scoring touch up front and lost 2-0.

The visitors had the major part of the play in the first quarter but in the 25th minute Wigan had a stroke of luck at a short corner. The ball was struck fairly innocuously towards the goal but hit James Gilbert's toe as he ran out second and deflected high into the net.

York continued to play well and came close to equalising following a good run by Richard Jenkin, the final shot by 'Fozzie' Foster being cleared off the line by a defender.

Gilbert and Chris Wilson also made telling runs through the Wigan defence but the finishing was ineffective.

Wigan had their second break soon after the interval when a shot into York's circle hit the back of a Wigan stick and wrong-footed James Riley in goal. Wigan claimed the goal and the umpire, having missed the incident, allowed it to stand.

From then on York were chasing the game and frustration set in, not only with their own inability to score, but with the officials. Two yellow cards were issued and for a stretch York were down to nine men.

Even with this handicap they prevented Wigan from adding to their score, giving some indication of how things might have worked out differently if the luck had run their way.

The only other York men's team in action were City of York V, who won 5-4 at Doncaster V in a real needle match, with Kyle Hogg scoring a vital hat-trick.

York, in third place and Doncaster in second in Yorkshire League division seven, provided a real goal-feast, particularly in the first half.

York played good passing hockey and were able to penetrate an older Don-caster defence but York's defence came up with its share of errors for which it was punished, long-standing Doncaster player Ian White scoring twice.

The South Yorkshire side opened the scoring but York soon equalised and then went on to add another four before half time.

David Rowlands scored from the penalty spot and Wayne Stevens from a short corner. Kyle Hogg, working his way back to playing after a long injury lay-off, added three more to put York 5-3 up at the interval.

York 'keeper Richard Schofield made a superb stick save to preserve the two-goal margin and the value of that was appreciated when Doncaster added a fourth from a short corner in the final minute.

The win saw York leapfrog Doncaster to keep promotion within their sights.

Due to snow-covered pitches, City of York had to cancel all their home games.

City of York Ladies' North League game at home to Timperley was a casualty of the weather.

The only premier division match to survive was at Chester where a 4-2 success against Harrogate consolidated the home side's league leadership.

With York remaining in mid-table, a recently announced league restructuring, including the abandonment of the end-of-season play-offs between regional league winners, makes Chester firm favourites to gain automatic promotion to division two of the National League.

Pitch conditions also caused the postponement of all three City of York Ladies' Yorkshire League matches.

Updated: 09:36 Tuesday, March 02, 2004