Nick Wright previews this weekend's clash between York City Knights and Hull FC
Alex Reid looks at whether the once ever-present appearance of English clubs in the later stages of the Champions League is set to become a thing of the past
Craig Dobson looks at QPR's decision to sack Neil Warnock and replace him with Mark Hughes
James Tompkinson reviews an excellent pre-season victory for the York City Knights against Yorkshire rivals Leeds Rhinos
York 2nds 38 - 10 Bradford 1sts
The 1sts may have suffered a near fatal blow to their promotion chances after a loss to Sunderland on Wednesday, but the 2nds and 3rds made sure the Netball club did not finish up empty handed.
After disappointment in their previous BUCS fixture against Newcastle, the 2nds were eager to deliver a convincing win. They quickly established a lead in the first quarter of the match with some effective centre passes courtesy of captain Camilla Hampton. But though the final score demonstrates a convincing win, York were plagued by silly mistakes and passing wasn't as forceful and direct as usual. Nevertheless the shooting was excellent, as were the set plays.
It was the basics that York seemed to struggle with, notably passing and snatching the ball. As a result the third quarter saw numerous toss-ups that were for the most part won by York. As the match progressed, play from the opposition became increasingly disjointed and rather scrappy. The final period was York’s most successful in terms of goals scored, netting 14 and conceding only 3.
The 2nds can come out of the match feeling positive that they have put last week’s loss against Newcastle behind them. However, they must work at picking their play up a notch for next weeks BUCS Cup match. Their initial adrenaline needs to be channeled into effective play and efficient passing. Man of the Match went to WA Lorna Davies-Colley, who pulled off some impressive overhead passes into the circle.
York 3rds 41 - 29 Northumbria 4ths
York dominated this match from start to finish, with all members of the team putting in impressive performances. Captained by Abigail Weighill, the 3rds showed unrelenting drive and desire to win from start to finish. The team has evolved immensely since the start of the term and has established itself as a tight knit unit.
The first quarter saw the attack making some great feeds into the circle, allowing the shooters to net some fantastic goals. GS Livi Coward and GA Weighill worked well together, with the captain moving rapidly around the circle and Coward holding some great spaces. The team took full advantage of Northumbria’s numerous errors, most notably their lack of knowledge of the new throw in rule. York were quick to use such situations in their favour and efficiently channelled the ball down the court.
In the second period the defence really hit their stride. As vocal as ever, it was GD Mia Kennedy who was at the core of the defence and continually motivating the team. Both GD and GK made some brilliant interceptions throughout the match and were a constant powerhouse. In the third quarter a minor change was made to the shooters but York showed their adaptability and Weighill and new GS Lauren Fisher demonstrated some brilliant shooting, as well as their persistence, in scoring off rebounds.
York need to concentrate on good communication in all areas of play to ensure full use is made of the court space and players don’t invade one another's areas. Perhaps in this domain they should take some lessons from Kennedy. Player of the match went to captain Weighill for her boundless energy and shooting prowess.
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