CITY of York Hockey Club Men I slipped to eighth in North Hockey premier division with a 3-1 defeat at second bottom side Chester.

Jack Purrington got the goal for City, who will spend the five-week Christmas break in the bottom half of the table.

They return to action on January 19 at home to Formby, who finished the year just in the top half.

Chester opened the scoring with a disputed effort in the first few minutes, a goal from which York never seemed to recover as they conceded another on the counter attack.

City were not out of the contest, however, and won several short corners before Purrington fired in a rocket of an effort following gritty midfield play and some good stick work from Tom Feasby.

The hosts found the killer third from a reverse stick strike on another counter.

City of York II are seventh in Yorkshire League premier division after being beaten 6-2 at home by table-toppers Harrogate II.

City of York III beat division one's bottom side Leeds V 2-1 at home thanks to goals from Joel Wilson and Pat Herriott.

Mid-table City of York IV lost 4-0 at division two leaders Ben Rhydding while a James Harrison goal earned City of York V a 1-1 draw at Chapeltown II in division three.

In division four north, City of York VI moved up to fifth with a 2-1 home win over Wakefield IV while City of York VII remain at the foot of the table following 2-1 defeat at Harrogate V. Ian Graham got the goal.

Second-placed in division five north, City of York VIII finished the year in style with a 9-0 thumping of Harrogate VI thanks to four goals from Tom Feetenby, two from Luke Harbord and a strike apiece from Finn Baqai, Emil Waites and Jacob Birch.

City of York IX's game at Bingley Bees was postponed.

City of York X beat Huddersfield Dragons V 5-1 at home in Men's Development north division. Amy Birch and Thomas Gilbert netted a brace apiece with Rufus Wordsworth adding.

City of York Ladies I are still bottom of North Ladies' League division one after a 3-2 defeat at Lancaster.

The Minster city ladies return to action on January 5 against Bowdon II.

City of York Ladies II go into the Christmas break six points clear at the top of Yorkshire League division one with a 2-0 win against City of York Ladies III.

The second team were largely in control of a tense first half but could not break down their clubmates' defence and went into the break all-square.

Man-of-the-match Meg Harrington kept the pressure on into the second half, where captain Vicky Skilton got the opener before Jo Perryman secured the points with a strike from a short corner.

City of York Ladies IV drew 2-2 at home to Louth in division three thanks to goals from Claire Wiggins and Lucy Tate.

City of York Ladies V won 3-0 at Harrogate IV in division four north and, in division five north, City of York Ladies VI lost 2-0 at home to Ben Rhydding V.

ACOMB Hockey Club Men I suffered their heaviest defeat of the season so far, going down 6-0 at Wakefield III.

The Tangerines sit fourth in Yorkshire League division two after failing to build on their victory over table-toppers Ben Rhydding II last week.

Before the game started, Wakefield were the division’s lowest scorers, having only scored 13 goals in their previous 11 outings, but found their stride early against Acomb, hitting keeper Craig Brown’s backboard from a one-on-one position with only seven minutes on the clock.

A seven-minute spell followed in which the hosts got three more goals, each through neat deflections from shots into the Tangerines’ defensive circle.

Despite the efforts of Acomb’s man-of-the-match David Bell, the visiting forward line found it difficult to control and beat the home defence on the water-based surface, finding penalty corner strikes their best route to goal. These efforts either went just wide or were well saved.

Wakefield netted twice more in the second half to run out deserved winners.

High-fliers Ramgarhia will be Acomb’s opponents when they return after the Christmas break.

Acomb II leapfrogged opponents Leeds Adel V into fifth in division five north following a 2-0 home win in a tight, albeit fairly one-sided, match.

The Tangerines started strongly and created early chances, with shots from Jonny Brown, Harry Ellis and Ant Daley either just wide or saved.

As the half wore on, the game became a midfield battle and the game looked to be heading into the break goalless until Brown popped up to put Acomb ahead in the closing minutes.

The second half was more of the same, with Acomb creating chances but unable to get that vital goal to double their lead while Bob Unsworth and David Brown dealt with with Leeds’ rare forward forays.

And Jonny Brown made sure of the win with the goal that takes him into double figures for the season.

Acomb’s first opponents in the New Year will be ninth-placed Harrogate VI.

Acomb Ladies fell to their eighth consecutive defeat in Yorkshire Women’s League division one with a 7-1 home reversal against Hull University.

Former skipper Kerry Woods netted the consolation for the Tangerines, who remain second bottom in the table going into the Christmas break.

Acomb’s player of the match was Vicky Wrigley.

They will open 2019 with a home match against cross-city rivals City of York II.