Courtesy: Vital Football - York City


City Futsal have Super ambitions

York City Futsal posted an early intent at the weekend of their determination to retain their FA National Futsal Super League North Division Two title and earn with it promotion back alongside the absolute elite of the developing game.

Ambitious City's current status finds them in a second-tier national division comprising of six clubs, plus a couple of Academy sides from top-flight outfits Manchester and Loughborough, despite the recent title-winning campaign at their existing level while competing as the University of York.

Their main objective remains to next season rejoin the senior teams of that pair in Super League - which is itself divided into two regional leagues, North and South - and hence the recent link-up with York City FC.

"This was one of the main reasons why the club decided to join York City and became a part of the football team," a club representative told us. "We are preparing to be back into Super League both inside and outside the court."

To that end the Minstermen surged to a resounding 11-2 victory against Manchester Academy in their opening fixture at the Trafford Centre on Sunday afternoon, including registering eight times before the break; in the process immediately hoisting themselves second in a division that many people are firmly expecting them to win.

Each of their four starting outfield players in Manchester, Portuguese-born skipper Daniel Pedras, Spaniard Miguel De Vicente, and England international pair Robbie Bettson and Dylan McAvoy, struck twice, while substitutes Fabinho Almeida, Mahiko Konishi and Jamie Bettson helped increase their final tally into double-figures.

Head coach Junior Roberti's charges are next in action at last season's runners-up Derby on Sunday-week before visiting Tranmere a fortnight later. Their first home game brings the arrival of Rovers' neighbours Liverpool to the University of York Sports Centre on 30th October.

Elsewhere, Durham are the very early North Division Two leaders following their 4-4 draw at Derby, although they have already played a game more than York; while other weekend results witnessed Loughborough Academy defeating Tranmere 10-4, and Liverpool emerging victorious in an 8-4 scoreline at Nottingham, with Kaita Hasegawa and Neil Weaver both claiming hat-tricks for the visitors.

In the division above, Birmingham were Super League North champions last season after winning all twelve of their games, and have begun in similar fashion this time around with a comfortable 10-4 home triumph against latest runners-up Manchester gaining them a second successive victory.

Meanwhile, Loughborough were similarly on the mark in a 4-1 outcome at Cambridge United, and the University of Nottingham won the remaining weekend fixture 7-4 in Sheffield.


Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com