York 3-2 Bristol Rovers: Match Report

A winning start to City's League Two campaign

After all the noise of the past few weeks, it turns out that winning football matches is a pretty reliable way of shifting the mood. York fans won't be forgetting Stuart Maynard any time soon, and upset over the manner of his departure will linger for some, but there was enough encouragement in this game for even those fans who arrived sceptical to emerge from the LNER at 5pm a little readier to buy into the future without him.

As opening day wins go, this was one to remember: a comeback against one of the promotion favourites, a debut brace for Harry Boyes, and perhaps most importantly an exciting attacking display. It was a nice reminder, after nearly four months without seeing City play a league game, that we have some very good players. And while it would be unwise to draw too many conclusions from a single game, the performance against a highly-fancied Bristol Rovers side has to give cause for optimism about York's prospects in League Two this season.

The Minstermen line-up saw three changes from the defeat to Crawley in the League Cup. One was enforced, with Joe Felix replacing the injured Jack Hunt at right wing-back, while new signing Harry Boyes came straight into the side in place of Ben Brookes at left wing-back and a fit-again Mark Kitching was selected ahead of Zech Medley at left centre-back. Bristol Rovers changed shape slightly from their League Cup defeat to Peterborough, with Fabrizio Cavegn coming into the side to form a front two with Joe Quigley, supported by Shaq Forde just behind them in a 3-4-1-2 setup.

City's intent to play on the front foot was clear early on, as they dominated the opening exchanges. Five minutes in, they had a strong shout for a penalty when Ollie Banks’ raking long pass found debutant Harry Boyes who was felled by a shove from Macauley Southam-Hales, but referee Tom Nield was unmoved and signalled instead for a corner. Boyes was involved again soon after when his cross from the left found its way to the head of Dipo Akinyemi, but while his header had power, it was aimed too close to Brad Young in the Rovers goal who made a comfortable save.

Equally obvious from the start was that the game would be a clash of styles. While City continued the possession-heavy approach fans have become accustomed to in recent seasons, the visitors were everything you'd expect from a Steve Evans side: physical and direct, looking to launch long balls towards the imposing Quigley and the nippy Cavegn at every opportunity. They showed little interest in winning the ball back high up the pitch, with City often able to play out from the back comfortably. With one of Hunt or Banks dropping deep and only the front three pressing for Rovers, there was always a spare red shirt, allowing the home side to dominate the ball and build through the first two thirds of the pitch without too much pressure.

York had two chances to make their dominance pay just before the half hour mark. First, Alex Hunt was able to bring the ball forward unchallenged to the edge of the area, but could only drag his shot wide of the post. Ollie Pearce then had an effort from a similar position that looked to be curling into the top right corner, but Young was equal to it.

The home side’s profligacy was punished soon after, as Rovers took the lead against the run of play from their first real attack. Morgan Williams, breaking out of City’s defence to advance into the final third, was dispossessed by Keenan Gough, who then hit a long ball upfield towards Fabrizio Cavegn. The Swiss attacker fended off the attention of Zak Johnson while waiting for teammates to arrive in support, then cut the ball across to midfielder Clinton Mola who was unmarked on the penalty spot. Mola’s side-footed strike was directed towards Alfie McNally in the City goal, but the ball squeezed underneath the Fulham loanee and into the net.

A similarly direct counter presented Rovers with another chance on 34 minutes, as they won the ball back in defence and Shaq Forde launched the ball forward for Cavegn to run onto again. This time, Cavegn cut inside and got a shot away himself, but his effort was too close to McNally. After all of City’s good work in the first half hour, it was the visitors who now had the momentum, with Forde finding pockets of space in attack and looking a threat.

Scott Lindsey made an early change for City before the break, hooking Akinyemi - who had started brightly enough but faded quickly - and bringing on Alex Newby, with Ollie Pearce moving to his old centre-forward role. Lindsey confirmed after the match that Akinyemi had been carrying an injury. The half-time whistle blew, and City were left to make sense of a half in which they’d had 78% possession and a few presentable chances but found themselves trailing.

The second half began much as the first had, with an early penalty appeal for York as Pearce looked to be tugged down in the area, but again the referee gave nothing. Forde then forced an opportunity for the Gas when he robbed Zak Johnson of the ball near the halfway line, exchanged passes with Fabrizio Cavegn then hit a low strike goalwards, but Williams was well placed to block it. York fashioned a chance of their own soon after, Alex Hunt cleverly feeding a low ball to Ollie Pearce from a corner, but Pearce’s effort flew just over the bar.

Then, on the hour mark, City’s equaliser arrived. Joe Grey, carrying the ball forward on the right, found himself up against experienced Rovers midfielder Richie Smallwood. Feigning to come inside, Grey then darted past Smallwood before advancing into the box and cutting the ball across to Alex Newby, who found enough space between two defenders to bury a first-time strike via the palm of the helpless Young. It was a just reward for City, whose attack now looked more fluid with Pearce at the apex and Newby and Grey combining well in support. And, with the catharsis of the club’s first goal in the football league in over a decade, the mood in the ground lifted.

Three minutes later, the Minstermen’s afternoon got even better. A clearance by Riley Harbottle was intercepted by Ollie Banks, and the City midfielder - looking more at home in the deeper midfield role than he had against Crawley - exchanged passes with Grey before finding Pearce on the edge of the area. Pearce, his path to goal blocked by several opposition defenders, instead passed to Boyes on the left of the area, and Boyes unleashed a low strike that nestled in the bottom corner. It was a superb left-footed finish from the City debutant, generating plenty of power with minimal backlift and leaving keeper Young rooted to the spot.

Harry Boyes celebrates his first goal in a York shirt (image by Tom Poole)

With York ahead, the away side were now forced to show greater attacking intent, but they were unable to fashion any clear-cut chances, as Jack Sparkes swung in a series of inviting deliveries from corners but City’s defence rose to the challenge. On 77 minutes, however, they were handed a lifeline when referee Nield awarded a penalty for an innocuous-looking push by Boyes on Forde. The decision looked soft in real time, and appears no less generous on repeat viewings, especially considering Nield’s failure to punish a far more robust challenge on Boyes in the first half. Substitute Tommy Leigh sent McNally the wrong way from the spot, and Rovers were level.

Boyes’ first City start couldn’t be soured that easily, though. Just two minutes later, Banks hung up a cross to the far post that Newby rose to head back across goal, and Boyes was there - cropping up out of position on the right - to nod the ball in between Young and the post. Two debut goals for City’s new left wing-back, who hadn’t scored in 57 previous appearances in the EFL and only notched once for Southend in the National League last season. And, more importantly, the lead restored for York with ten minutes left to play.

City had chances to put the game out of sight in the closing stages, with Pearce flashing a shot wide after Grey’s drilled cross found him, and substitute Arthur Read forcing Young into a save. Rovers’ best chance of an equaliser fell to Bobby Kamwa, but his shot was deflected over.

The final whistle blew, and the points belonged to York. This time, Scott Lindsey joined his players in applauding the sellout home crowd, sensing that the atmosphere had changed and that the fans were appreciative of his team’s performance. City’s attacking play was impressive for large spells of the game, with Grey, Boyes and Newby all standout performers. At the back, Johnson coped admirably with the aerial threat of Quigley, while Kitching and Williams mostly looked confident bringing the ball out of defence. There were occasions when Rovers’ direct approach looked dangerous, including the opening goal, but they carved out few clear opportunities.

It’s still very early days for Scott Lindsey’s York side, but this was a promising start to the league campaign after an underwhelming display against Crawley. And let’s not forget the bigger picture. York’s last home game as a football league club, just over a decade ago, also came against Bristol Rovers: a 4-1 defeat at Bootham Crescent under Jackie McNamara. Things might not be perfect now, but we’ve come a long way since then.

Line-ups (fotmob.com)

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