omom TOM FEASBY’S goal could not prevent City of York losing their opening North Hockey Men’s League premier division fixture 2-1 at home to Bowdon seconds.

The hosts enjoyed a promising start under new head coach Simon Law at the University of York with Oliver Couttie controlling the tempo of the game from the back.

The away keeper was forced into a string of first-half saves, but a lapse of concentration saw York head into the interval 1-0 down against the run of play.

After the break, forwards Daniel Ellwood, Anthony Bull and man-of-the-match Jack Purrington regularly opened up Bowdon’s defensive line but, with ten minutes to go, a counter attack from the visitors resulted in a converted penalty corner to double their advantage.

With five minutes left, York did get on the scoresheet when fantastic midfield work from 17-year-old Freddie Heijbroek and university student Pete Newton enabled enigmatic captain Alex Cockram and Feasby to break down the right wing.

Purrington was then found in the circle and he calmly played in Feasby for an open goal.

This weekend, the team will aim to bounce back with a trip to Whitley Bay & Tynemouth.

City of York II, meanwhile, were deprived of three points by an equaliser with the last touch of the game at Grimsby.

After a stuttering start, assured defending from debutant and man-of-the-match Ellis Farmery, along with numerous saves from Elliot Walker, helped York reach half time goalless.

After the break, Grimsby hit the post and had a goal disallowed, before the visitors broke the deadlock when Tim Lister slid in to finish a fluid move, involving Dan Tompkins and Jack Fletcher.

Grimsby, though, snatched their late leveller, with a reverse-stick strike that squeezed through a packed York D.

York III netted twice in the opening 15 minutes against Slazenger’s with Dan Proud, after several attempts, eventually beating the keeper by putting the ball high into the net and James Fitton on target with a reverse-stick rocket shot.

But Slazenger’s drew level before the break and ended up running out 6-3 winners, despite Proud getting his second of the match.

York IV ran out 8-0 victors against the club’s V team with Rob Prentice (2), Joel Wilson and James Walker among the marksmen.

The winners also survived green cards that were shown to Prentice and Alex Herriott.

Tom Grainger, meanwhile, cleared a fifths’ effort off the line and Johnathon Doyle produced a fantastic save low down to his right to safeguard his clean sheet.

York VI enjoyed a 3-0 win at Harrogate with debutant Bryce Tuckett hitting a hat-trick, wrapping up matters with a reverse shot high into the net ten minutes from time.

York’s VII and VIII teams shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw.

The sevenths led following a fantastic team goal finished by George Trowsdale, but had fallen behind 2-1 by the break after a well-worked passing move saw Zach Pearson claim his first senior goal and Jack Allerton netted with a strong deflected shot.

Great passing by Cameron Mackay and Andy Grey, though, led to Paul Rowntree equalising with only a few minutes to spare.

Pearson also hit the upright for the eighths in an entertaining contest.