Football 1sts 'chase the green' yet again

BUSA Plate last 16 knockout match, today, 2pm, 22 Acres

York men’s football 1sts face yet another crucial match in one of their best ever seasons, this time against Stirling 3rds on 22 Acres at 2pm. Having won their BUSA Northern Conference 3B league they not only gained promotion but also earned a place in the BUSA Plate knockout cup. Last week saw the York team beat Stirling 2nds and then were drawn the Scottish university’s 3rd team in the last 16 so on paper York are favourites but as we all know, the magic of the BUSA Plate can throw up some shock results!

One of the many York students hoping the game goes with form is 1st team midfielder Andrew Ramsden who told the Yorker: “We’re confident of a win on Wednesday but also in the competition as a whole – there’s no reason why we can’t win it!”

Ramsden, who is struggling to return from a hamstring injury, went on to say: “We’re on an 8 game winning streak and are unbeaten in 11. That sort of form speaks for itself. We’re always chasing greens (a green square means a win on the BUSA website) ! Our success has been built on a rock solid defence but we’re deadly going forward and have only failed to score once this season (back in October against Leeds 1sts)”

Considering Stirling 1sts and 2nds don’t have fixtures tomorrow the York team are slightly wary that the Stirling 3rd team that won the Scottish Conference 4B league they face tomorrow may have been replenished by some players from Stirling 1sts who play in Scotland’s highest BUSA league, a fact Ramsden alluded to.

Captain Dom O’Shea said: “There are several selection issues for this match, picking the team for Wednesday’s game has been harder than any other” Ramsden’s possible return combined with Witherwick’s recovery from his toe injury means competition is rife in midfield where Gardner has played for the past month. Edwards is expected to be included in the squad but is unlikely to start whilst Swan, who impressed on Saturday in the 2-1 win over Hull, may unluckily not make the likely 14 man squad. Jeroen Oomen’s debut for the 1st team saw him score twice in the Hull victory and win man of the match so is pushing for a place but O’Shea will find it hard to select a forward line stronger than Gouland and himself.

A win will set up a possible trip across the city to rivals York St John to face their 2nd team, or otherwise University of Central Lancashire 1sts. The prospect of the former will provide added incentive to the York team to beat the Scots and send them packing with a crushing defeat, much akin to last week. The game is scheduled to kick off at 2pm on 22 Acres and support will surely be much appreciated by all involved. The recent cold spell means there’s a chance of postponement if the pitches are frozen and deemed dangerous to play on but O’Shea and his men will be keen for the fixture to be played as soon as possible so they can revel in their current form and make it into the quarter-finals next week. If the rub of the green is with them York will surely get another ‘green’!

Expect a match report on The Yorker later in the week.

In other football news was the aforementioned 2-1 victory over Hull 1sts last Saturday. Oomen scored two well taken first half goals and despite Hull scoring just before the half-time whistle York always looked comfortable with their slender league. There were numerous chances to extend the lead but it finished 2-1 in this NUL fixture. Gardner rounded the keeper only to see his shot cleared off the line, usual danger-men Cooper and Wilson failed to convert opportunities and O’Shea had a miserable day in front of goal; he hit the post, saw several 20 yard drives fly over and summed up his day by missing an entirely unchallenged open goal on 90 minutes.

The 2nd team were unlucky to lose to Hull 2nds 2-1 whilst the 3rds beat their respective opponents 2-1, with Senchal scoring the crucial goal in possibly his last game for the club.

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