(Image Creds: Layla Roberts)
York Players:
GS – Elise Saffet-Cole
GA – Izzy Congreve
WA – Izzie Speight
C – Leah Daniel
WD – Izzy Sharpe ( C )
GK – Iona Biggins
GD – Anna Arevalo ( VC )
SUBS: Emily Harris, Lottie Meyer, Sydnie Bonner-Leney
Lancaster Players
GS – Ava Rowson
GA/GS – Ami Howarth, Niamh Fowler
WA/C – Mollie Mcdonnell
C/WA – Grace Huckfield
WD/C – Faye Allerton
C/WD – Christina Pagagiannopoulos
WD – Abigail Howard
GK/GD – Charlotte Huges
GK/GD – Elizabeth Allen
GD/WD – Lucy Gittins
York’s Centre starts the match and Lancaster’s WD hits the ball away. York’s GA lines to shoot misses and York’s GS scores the first goal. But, Lancaster score one straight back. York’s GS scores again moments after Lancaster’s goal. But Lancaster’s GS once again gets a goal too. York’s GD tries to block Lancaster’s GA but she passes to her GS and they score. A throw-in from the Lancaster goal gives York the ball and Lancaster’s GK gets a penalty allowing York to score. York’s GS is on their A game and scores again! After York’s great defence, Lancaster snuck the ball past them and score. Lancaster’s GD drops the ball out of the court, allowing York to gain control of the ball, but their GA misses allowing Lancaster to scoop up the ball and play it down back towards the York goal. York saw it coming and their defence managed to gather the ball back and their GA scores. Lancaster score again. York then comes back thriving, with their GA and GS showing their great passing skills allowing themselves to line up perfectly for their next goal. After an intense struggle in York’s third they manage to score another goal against Lancaster. York secure their lead even more with another goal making the Score 8 – 5. Lancaster are keeping up however, and score another goal. With shoes squeaking and girls jumping high in the air York’s GS Scores once again. York’s goalkeeper defends a pass in the D but Lancaster manages to score after a throw-in. York’s goal shooter is on fire however and manages to score AGAIN!! What a phenomenal player. But it’s not long lasting as Lancaster scores once again creeping up on York’s lead. York Score then Lancaster scores, York Score then so does Lancaster they played very back and forth but York had secured their lead so Lancaster needed some back to back goals. York scored once again! The centres have a bit of a fight over the ball leading to the referee blowing the whistle awarding the ball to York and they manage to get the ball to the D and score. Both teams scored twice more ending the first quarter 16 – 12 to York.
During the break the DJ kept the crowd lively as the players dehydrated, with her banging selection of tunes. The room was sweltering with the biggest crowd I’ve seen yet in the sports halls, Lancaster had to create an extra viewing area on the other side of the court to accommodate the massive support both Universities are showing their netball teams.
York opened the second quarter after absolutely demolishing Lancaster in the first quarter and started the game off with a cracking first goal. York’s confidence seemed to waver at the start of this quarter as it took 3 attempts to get the ball into the net for one of their goals. But it doesn’t affect them for long as they strive back with 2 goals after Lancaster score and reminds them they are fighting for the prize right now.
York’s GD does a fantastic job keeping the ball out of Lancasters hands as they try to score and manages to get the ball back down to her attackers. Lancaster’s GD subs out always into the second quarter. York’s GD and Lancasters GA get into a fight over the ball but Lancaster is awarded the ball. The ball gets intercepted by York landing in the crowd whilst they cheer for UYNC. The sportsmanship is lacking this quarter with sassy ball drops when the ball is awarded to another team and eyeballs. Lancaster even up the score 25 – 25 with one minute left to go and York are feeling the pressure and end the 2nd quarter with a goal ending the first half 26 – 25 York.
Concentration is fixed upon the York players faces as they know they need to step their game up as they enter the third quarter. The pitch is seeing some new faces as a few substitutions were made in the break. York scored the first goal of the quarter but Lancaster is stepping on their heels to catch up and score just seconds later. The crowds chants are fantastic and the support of the Yorks side is so loud it’s ear ringing, chants of ‘LETS GO YORK LETS GO’ and ‘YORKSHIRE YORKSHIRE YORKSHIRE’ were bouncing off the walls of the sports hall supported with foot banging and clapping. York’s Centre took an unfortunate tumble backwards as she caught the ball and looked like she was a gymnast instead if a netball player as she tried to hold herself up doing the crab. Lancaster’s WD also took a bit of a tumble as she tried to intercept the ball. At the end of the 3rd quarter the score is 39 – 40 to York and Lancaster is very much playing a cat and mouse game trying to catch up to the girls in white.
Supporting members of the University of York Netball club started doing the dance to Candy in the interval and more and more people started joining in including some members of Lancasters cheer team. The war of the Roses is actually bringing supporters together not apart from what I can see.
The fourth and final quarter kicked off with a super fast paced goal from York, a blink and you miss it kind of goal (I may have blinked). By the final few minutes the room was exploding with cheers as Lancaster caught up to York’s 51 – 51 with just over 2 minutes to go. The room exploded with boos from York when Lancaster was awarded the ball and cheers erupted when Lancaster overtook York 52 – 51 after being behind them for the entirety of the game. With less than a minute on the clock Lancaster started playing piggy in the middle with the ball trying to waste time to ensure their win and manage to secure the win 52 – 51 as the final whistle blew and Lancaster stormed the court.
An absolutely nail biting match. With York being majority in the lead most of the match, it was heartbreaking to have the win snatched from you in the last couple of minutes. All the players played fantastically and York shouldn’t feel too defeated as they were cheated by time wasting.
I’ve always hated piggy in the middle and this match just made me hate it more.