Football 3rds bounce back to beat Hull

University of York 3rds 2 - 1 University of Hull 5ths

York Men’s 3rds had to come from behind with a strong second half performance to gain victory over Hull 3rds in their BUCS Cup game. Goals from Marat Omarov and Paris Williams gave York what turned out to be a comfortable win, after a poor start to the game.

York started very slowly and were under constant pressure for the first fifteen minutes, with the majority of playing occupying their own half. A series of corners and shots from distance called the York defence into action very early on, but the pairing of Matt Whelan and captain Liam Condron held firm to keep their team from falling behind in the early stages.

York came back into the game in the latter stages of the first half, but the likes of Ziad Chami and Jack Beadle were struggling to keep possession in the wet conditions. Poor touches and misplaced passes in the middle of the park were a recurring theme and it was this complacency that led to the opening goal, from the first real chance of the game, just seconds before half time.

A good interception from the Hull right back led him to drive into the box and drill the ball across the goal. The ball fell to the left winger, who turned York’s right back Mark Lund at the back post and pulled the ball back to his striker, who comfortably converted from 6 yards.

Going in 1 -0 down at the break, York knew their performance had to improve in the second half and after some strong words from the captain at half time, they were quick out of the blocks. The lively Paris Williams broke the offside trap twice early on, but put both of his finishes wide of the post. And Williams was at the centre of things again fifteen minutes in, when after an impressive run down the right, he picked out Ali Laird at the back post, whose looping header went agonizingly wide.

One of the key factors to the strong York second half display was the introduction of central midfielder Marat Omarov. Omarov provided York with what they had been lacking in the first half, as he got his foot on the ball and began to play simple accurate passes to keep possession. And it was Omarov himself who got York back on level terms midway through the second half, expertly curling a 25 yard free kick round the wall and into the right hand corner, after Williams was brought down.

York grew in confidence after their equaliser, and only had to wait five minutes to take the lead. Williams broke the offside trap again to latch onto a through ball, but this time Williams kept his composure to round the advancing keeper and roll the ball into the empty net.

York eased off after going ahead, and came under some late pressure. However, the ever-impressive defence limited Hull to only a few half chances. Indeed, the game should have been laid to rest three minutes from the end when man of the match Williams raced away down the left and squared to substitute James Offord, only for Offord to blaze over from 10 yards out. But despite this late miss, York held on comfortably for a deserved victory, and a place in the next round of the BUCS Cup.

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