Unbeaten run continues for Men’s 2nds
The Men's 2nds unbeaten run continued with another emphatic victory, 3-1 away against struggling York.
City of York 4ths 1 Halifax 2nds 3
Scorers : Hellowell, Horsley, OG
The unbeaten run continued with another emphatic victory against lowly York.
The performance was equally as good as the result with not one player contributing less than expected. Star of the show was right winger Ryan Dransfield who set up the first two goals. He displayed both fleet of foot and peripheral vision to set up John Horsley and Cameron Hellowell for the first two goals. Lesser players would have been greedy cutting in from the right wing, but Dransfield utilised the skills he had acquired in practice sessions to cut the ball back from the goal line to give his fellow strikers the easiest of tasks to slide the ball home.
David Willis returned to captain the side and fitted seamlessly into the central midfield berth. Cameron Hellowell retained his link role between the midfield and forwards, but early on it was once again the defence that was called upon to perform to the highest standards. James Smith in goal has been performing wonderfully this season and the York forwards found the youngster in irrepressible form.
Ably assisted by Trevor Love, Bryn Hans, Stephen Fawkes and Nick Barker Halifax snuffed out the early home threat to slowly exert pressure of their own. Once Dransfield had stamped his mark on the match there was no looking back and at 2-0 to the good, Halifax were gifted a goal as a result of the own goal rule change. Peter Balmforth drilled a ball into the D from outside the 22 metre line. The speed deceived the keeper and in trying to evade the ball it brushed his pads. Previously this would have been a long corner, but now it is recorded as an own goal. Following an umpiring consultation the goal was awarded.
Inevitable Halifax took their foot off the gas in the second period, and York managed to claw a scrappy goal back from a short corner. The result was never in doubt, but it was a shame to lose the clean sheet.
Since conceding six in their opening fixture, the second team defence has only let in seven strikes in as many games. The up coming home clash with second to top Sheffield Bankers will require a similar level of frugality if the unbeaten run is to continue.