A comfortable win over an uninspiring Exeter side took York to 7 points from their first 3 games, and left supporters wondering whether League Two is such a step up after all. The game saw long spells of the home side dominating possession while the visitors sat in a low block: a common sight for York against the lesser sides in the National League over recent years, but perhaps less expected when facing opponents like Exeter who were two divisions higher only a few months ago. Yet, other than a late flurry after pulling a goal back in stoppage time, the visitors offered little threat, and the Minstermen secured the three points without really having to hit top gear.
On a drizzly late August afternoon, the Exeter squad was seemingly as unsettled as the weather, as two of their key players in Jayden Wareham and Luca Woodhouse didn't make the trip north amid speculation linking them from moves away from the club. Sonny Cox and Ethan Sutherland were drafted in as replacements, with one other enforced change seeing Taylor Perry replace the injured Jake Doyle-Hayes. For the home side, the injury sustained by Zak Johnson last weekend at Rotherham saw Ryan Fallowfield come into the eleven for a first start in the EFL for over four years. New loan signing Jovan Malcolm, meanwhile, was named on the bench.
York started on the front foot, and took the lead with the first meaningful attack of the game after 7 minutes. A driving run from Joe Grey took him from the halfway line to the edge of the Exeter area, where he slipped the ball out to Harry Boyes on the left. Boyes’ first-time cross found Alex Newby six yards out, and Newby continued his free-scoring early season form, calmly slotting the ball low past Jack Bycroft. Boyes and Newby have quickly established an understanding on the left, with this marking the third time in as many games that they’ve combined for a goal.
Newby came close to doubling his tally three minutes later, when a Joe Grey cross from the right found its way to him. Newby’s goalbound effort was well struck but Bycroft was equal to it this time, reacting impressively to tip the shot just over the bar. While the home side continued to have long spells of possession as the half wore on, Exeter’s defence began to get more of a handle on the game and clear chances were at a premium.
On 25 minutes, the 8,000 strong crowd joined in applause to commemorate the tragic passing of former York player Quevin Castro, who died suddenly last week aged just 25 after collapsing on the pitch in a game in Portugal. The minute must have held an extra poignancy for Ryan Fallowfield and Alex Hunt, who had both previously played alongside Castro at the LNER, but also for Jovan Malcolm on the substitute’s bench who came through the same youth setup as Castro at West Bromwich Albion.
Although York didn’t follow up Newby’s goal and saved effort with a further flurry of chances, their overall dominance in the first half was summed up perfectly by an exchange of several passes between Ollie Banks and Joe Grey in midfield after half an hour. The City pair, sensing that no opposition player was looking to put pressure on them, briefly turned the game into a training exercise, with their fun only spoiled when Exeter’s Reece Cole took exception and committed a clear foul on Grey.
The second half got off to a bizarre start when the visitors’ forward Sonny Cox fell to the ground upon re-entering the pitch and had to be replaced by George Birch. It turned out that Cox had suffered an allergic reaction prior to the game, which may go some way to explaining a fairly dismal first-half showing in which he touched the ball just five times and completed one successful pass. Whether prompted by the change or a rousing half-time team talk by manager Matt Taylor, the Grecians improved in the early stages of the second period, with Ryan Fallowfield booked for a late challenge that prevented a dangerous-looking attack down Exeter’s left flank.
York soon re-established control, however, and had an excellent chance just before the hour mark when Grey’s through ball found Joe Felix just inside the area. Felix’s shot was struck with power but was a little too close to Bycroft, who was able to parry the attempt. Not long after, Ollie Banks felt he should have had a penalty after he played a one-two with Felix before going to ground under a challenge by Gwion Edwards, although Edwards looked to have made contact with the ball first.
Scott Lindsey made a triple substitution on 65 minutes, introducing Jeff King and Arthur Read along with Jovan Malcolm making his first appearance for the club. The debutant was involved soon after his introduction, bringing down a Mark Kitching pass on his chest and advancing towards goal, but his next touch took the ball a little too wide and Bycroft was able to cover the angle and save. Bycroft was beaten shortly after when a Banks header looked to have crossed the line, but the assistant had flagged for offside. Then, the visitors’ keeper was called into action again when Newby was slipped through by Grey and struck a low effort towards the corner that was sent wide by a touch from Bycroft’s outstretched leg.
On 76 minutes, York finally scored the second goal that their play had warranted. A corner from the right was swung in by Boyes, and Malcolm rose highest to meet it on the edge of the six-yard box, heading in emphatically via the post. Another goal involvement for Boyes, who has either scored or assisted five of City’s six league goals so far, and a dream start for Malcolm after joining on loan from Stevenage. The young forward impressed overall, not just with his goal but also by being a willing runner and offering a physical presence that troubled the Exeter back line.
The second goal seemed to jolt Exeter into life a little. Taylor Perry found himself in space inside the box and his pass across the face of goal found substitute Lakyle Samuel, but Newby was well placed to divert Samuel's effort wide. At the other end, Malcolm's City debut almost got even better as he came close with an effort from 20 yards after being set up by an improvised backheel from Banks.
As the game entered stoppage time, York were denied a first clean sheet of the season when the Grecians pulled a goal back through centre-back Jack Fitzwater. A cross was played in from the left by Andrew Olawubori, who had been introduced from the bench minutes earlier, and Fitzwater was able to find a gap between Kitching and Fallowfield to nod home from close range for his second goal in two games. The goal made for a nervy last couple of minutes for York, as the Grecians committed men forward in search of an unlikely equaliser, but the home side were able to see out the win.
York's bright start to life in League Two under Scott Lindsey continues, then, despite the absence of key players from last season such as Stones, Boateng and Johnson. Greater challenges will await, no doubt, as this Exeter side looked short on quality and confidence, bearing all the hallmarks of a team on the slide. The next task for York is to secure a first away win of the season, with trips to Cheltenham and Crewe in the coming week. Both have had reasonable starts themselves so will be no pushovers, but on current form City will be confident of going toe to toe with anyone in the league.
