Courtesy: Vital Football/York City


Durham Futsal v York City Futsal

There's a hugely significant clash when defending champions York City Futsal visit second-placed Durham at the Gateshead Leisure Centre on Sunday afternoon (kick-off 2.30pm).

A fourth successive victory on their travels at Loughborough Academy by a 6-3 margin last week currently has the Minstermen just three points behind National League North Division Two leaders Tranmere Rovers with still four games in hand.

Junior Roberti's highly-rated side had already accounted for Rovers (5-3), Derby (5-1) and Manchester Academy (11-2) on their travels. Interestingly they don't even open their own home programme until hosting bottom club Nottingham Trent at the University of York Sports Centre on Sunday-week.

Summer recruits Robbie Bettson, Jamie Bettson and Dylan McAvoy each scored twice during a hard-fought success at Loughborough while raising their own individual tallies for the campaign to seven, three and four respectively.

Just a few hours earlier, Durham were forced to come from behind to eventually beat Nottingham 9-5 having surprisingly found themselves trailing at the interval.

The league's top scorer Adam Byron crucially bagged five goals during that game and Jack Gunn hit a hat-trick, while Xavi Rodriguez Corral was similarly on the mark.

Durham had previously won only one of their opening three fixtures, 8-4 at home to Manchester back in early September, while drawing 4-4 at Derby and only narrowly losing 5-6 when visiting Tranmere. However, they've since accounted for Liverpool (A 7-6), Loughborough (H 11-6) and Nottingham as part of their recent surge up the table.

With no games scheduled elsewhere this weekend, title-favourites York would though secure a return to the top of the division should they manage a fifth straight triumph.

But they may be forced to do so without inspirational four-goal skipper Daniel Pedras, who is struggling with a calf injury.

York City Futsal (from): Fabio Almeida, Mohammad Amiri, Jamie Bettson, Robbie Bettson, Anel Blazevic, James Briars, Philip Codd, Joao Costa, Miguel De Vincente, Jevgenijs Drabovics, Lewis Elliott, Michael Gratton, Mahiko Konishi, Demir Kurtovic, Dylan McAvoy, Cory McLeod, Mattia Novello, Jack Overton, Daneil Pedras, Frederick Robinson, Florin Rotariu


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