Durham survive scare to take College Varsity 2014

York had issued their challenge, laying down the gauntlet to our strong college teams.

Our response?  Yes, we were ready.

First off, let’s explain the scoring system – each 1st team match earned the victors five points, with the 2nds nabbing three.

The winning unay needed at least 32.5 points for the win.

Just 32.5 points to get their hands on these bad boys (Photos: Team Durham)

The day started with a tidy 7-2 win for Hatfield over James in the Men’s 1sts football, before HCRFC embarrassed Halifax college 49-0 in the 2nds rugby.

In fact, Hatfield subsequently went on to survive a late rally by James in the 1sts hockey, winning 6-3, and making the rest of us hate them just that little bit less.

York secured their first points of the competition in the basketball 2nds with Langwith triumphing over Mary’s, taking the total to 8-3 in Durham’s favour.

Hild Bede then went on to win the netball 2nds in a close match, with Trevs women’s football 1sts also winning a thrilling encounter shortly afterwards.

Taking that Hatfield hockey win into account, Durham were cruising more comfortably than George Michael on a funky Tuesday evening.

24-3.

We were sitting pretty around 15:00, but the York teams, in the games already underway, were preparing for a big comeback.

Cuths were schooled by Goodricke, 7-2 in the badminton 2nds, whilst Butler were felled by Wentworth’s volleyball 1sts.

Spot the cock.

A 6-1 drubbing by Vanbrugh saw Ustinov women’s football 2nds retire in defeat.

24-14.

As Hild Bede were getting some hard-earned points on the scoreboard against Derwent in the 1sts rugby, Yaya and Nasri were putting a few past Sunderland in that inferior competition, the League Cup Final.

Rumour has it, viewing figures plummeted this year due to the football’s ill-timed clash with Varsity.

Cuths then saw off Goodricke 2-0 in the 2nds hockey, leaving the scores at 32-14 to Durham.

We were 0.5 points away from victory.

But again, York rallied, closely winning both the football 2nds, an agonising 2-1, against Collingwood, and the badminton 1sts, 5-4, against Butler.

York volleyball were a one man team, apparently

As things were getting increasingly more tense, drama ensued at the basketball 1sts between Wentworth and Ustinov, where the somewhat disappointingly named ‘battle of the postgrads’ was taking place.

The game finished in Wentworth’s favour, with a Ustinov player having to be escorted off the court for reportedly becoming ‘increasingly abusive towards the referees’.

Handbags, dentures and walking sticks were strewn across the court in the resulting chaos.

32-27 to Durham.

With the final match being a 1sts netball game, a tasty 5 points were up for grabs, meaning that we could either take the title or settle for what would have been a fantastically well-earned draw for York.

Mildert, however, didn’t disappoint, winning against Halifax in a convincing performance that finished 38-28.

Clutch heroes

Final score: Durham 38:27 York.

Screams of joy could be heard all the way from the Hill, with those from Gilesgate coming a few hours later due to the limitations of the speed of sound.

Our victors picked up their trophies in a swanky closing ceremony, with some later limping off into the night in search of greater prizes at York Revs.

Congrats to all the teams involved; let’s have more of the same next year!