IN a roller-coaster North League game at home to promotion-chasing neighbours, Ben Rhydding, City of York ladies shipped four second half goals to lose 5-3 after holding a 3-1 half-time advantage.

The Ilkley side had the better of possession for much of the game but York shocked them with two early goals, the first a reverse-stick shot from Mandy Nesbit before Sally Sleightholme broke away to set up Katie Tindall for the second on 15 minutes.

Rhydding promptly reduced the arrears with a tap-in goal, but York restored their two-goal lead with the game's best strike, Sleightholme sweeping the ball in after an excellent run and centre by Kate Rorrison.

From that high point it all went downhill for York when they conceded two goals early in the second half. The free-scoring visitors, who have scored 71 league goals this season, made the most of further chances, scoring twice more to take all three points, their plundcer shared by Rachel Doherty (2), Sarah Male, Melanie Scott and Kath French.

York need a point from their final game at Driffield to be sure of retaining their place in the North League's Premier division.

In division two of the Yorkshire league, City of York ladies II made sure of a mid-table finish with a 6-1 home win against Horsforth. Rosie Evans scored a hat-trick, Sarah Greaves (2) and Vicky Blair also on target.

After a long unbeaten run in division six, City of York ladies III lost 4-2 at league leaders Harrogate IV, Becky Copperthwaite scoring both York goals.

In the same league, mid-table City of York ladies IV lost 3-2 at home to Wakefield IV, with Laura Taylor and Katie Stafford getting the York goals.

Updated: 11:01 Tuesday, March 25, 2003