York edge to ascent

City's form has been sketchy since Christmas, but in the first 25 minutes they played their best hockey of the season.

Alderley Edge's attack was led by a dangerous player but Karim Ramli, returning to City I after an absence, denied him any chance.

Good defensive play nullified all Edge's initiatives and enabled City to get the ball to their flair players, James Gilbert, Glyn Humphrey, Chris Wilson and Chris Dutton.

Two minutes into the game City took the lead when Glyn Humphrey deflected the ball into the roof of the net.

City then scored a second goal from a short corner. A well struck ball through the Edge defence found Dutton who turned it in.

The Cheshire team, boasting the division's best record since Christmas, threw caution to the wind, but City defended defiantly.

Within five minutes of the start of the second period York went further ahead when Humphrey broke through the middle to score.

Alderley Edge roared forward and York were forced to struggle with the ball given away too easily.

Edge pulled back a goal but, to their credit, City did not panic. They pushed forward and were awarded a short corner. The ball was switched to the right and Mark Little flicked it home.

Alderley Edge went for it in the final 15 minutes, but James Riley, City's keeper, had an outstanding game.

Unfortunately he could do nothing with the two short corner strikes that put Edge within one goal of City's tally.

The last five minutes were desperate and Edge made two breaks that Riley had to deal with on the edge of his circle, but City hung on.

Five points ahead of Oxton and with Alderley Edge unable to catch them, City are guaranteed promotion.

Next week sees a double Lancashire duel against Lytham on Saturday and Manchester Met on Sunday. They meet Leeds in the season's final game a week later.

Just one win will ensure that City of York finish as champions, but coach Nigel Herd is determined his team will record the highest points figure in the club's history by going past the 50-mark.

City of York II lost 6-1 to the formidable Leeds University I who are top of NHL Division 2 East.

With only a bare 11 City were not best prepared, though, in the first quarter City held the students out, James Baughan making a number of good saves.

But once Leeds broke through the result was never in doubt. Their lone reward was a goal for Roz Ramli.

The ball was on the other foot for City of York III who trounced Sheffield University Bankers VI 10-1.

Bankers arrived with only ten men and no umpire and City were in no mood to let their visitors off the hook. James Flint (2), Ian Butler and Jason Bemrose scored before Bankers replied just before half-time.

In the second half York stormed away with further goals from Flint (3), Bemrose (2) and Adam Jackson.

City of York IV were completely outplayed by Halifax II losing 4-0, their defeat doubled by the loss of two goals in the final five minutes.

Despite having a changed side City of York V beat Adel IV 3-0, opening the scoring within two minutes when a right wing run and cross by Chris Smalley was deflected in by David de Silva. De Silva scored again soon after.

Matt Merrick, in City's goal, had been completely untroubled and when Matt Fletcher fired in a shot that hit a defender on the line and then followed it up by putting away the awarded penalty stroke the contest was effectively over.

The win moved City V away from the relegation zone.

City of York VI had a thoroughly miserable afternoon losing 9-0 at Leeds University IV.

They were always going to find the going tough but they didn't expect to be quite so much out of their league.

City of York VII held top of the table Leeds IV to a blank first-half, but after putting up such a stern fight they found themselves comprehensively swamped by five unanswered goals after the interval.

Ten-man City of York VIII suffered a heavier loss, beaten 8-0 by an experienced Adel V.

Individually there were some admirable display, but numerical inferiority and nous told.

Updated: 11:35 Tuesday, March 05, 2002