The U19’s earned their first win of the season with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Gateshead at the training ground.
They had to do it in style, battling wet and windy conditions during the afternoon, but it was the Minstermen who dominated throughout and deservedly earned the win.
Alex Payne, George Harrison and Alex Hernandez scored the goals for City, which sees York remain unbeaten in the National League Alliance Academy North after their opening two games.
The Young Minstermen came back into league action after a two week break following their league season opener, which saw City draw 2-2 at home to Boston United.
It was the home side who started strongly through Payne, who had a header from close-range test the gloves of the Gateshead goalkeeper after only four minutes, before Hernandez forced a fine save from close-range after being picked out inside the penalty area.
Hernandez then had three brilliant chances within a ten minute period as he headed narrowly wide following a free kick, before going one-on-one with the goalkeeper two minutes later, but he fired narrowly wide of the target from close-range.
The young forward then had an effort cleared off the line following a quick reaction in the box from Hernandez, following Mackenzie Crooks’ free-kick played into the area.
The visitors did have the ball in the back of the net in the 25th minute following a neat cross played into the area from the right, but the goal was disallowed for the Gateshead forward being in an offside position.
City’s dominant pressure finally paid off as they took the lead on the half-hour mark. George Harrison’s low cross into the area from the right was picked up by Payne, who swept the ball beyond the goalkeeper and into the back of the net to hand York the lead as torrential rain started to pour.
Goalkeeper Sam Taylor had little to do inside the opening half, only being called into action twice as he was forced into a routine save from distance, before having to react quick to punch away an in-swinging free kick into the area from the left.
City started the second half as they finished the first, on top and in search of a second goal of the afternoon. Hernandez went close again after 55 minutes, firing narrowly wide into the side-netting after being played in by Payne, before Harrison got onto the end of a left-sided cross at the back post, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.
The U19’s had further chances to extend their lead and they nearly did so from a corner, but Roan Shirley’s powerful header came back off the post, before Hernandez was denied by a smart save by the goalkeeper after going through one-on-one.
The lead was finally extended with seventeen minutes to go as Charlie Lumsden’s low cross was turned home into the bottom-right corner by Harrison at the far post to double the Minstermen’s advantage.
And the lead became even greater six minutes later as Hernandez raced through in on goal before beating the goalkeeper with a calm finish from close-range.
City saw out the win, which sees them remain unbeaten after their opening first two league games. They take on Guiseley next Wednesday at the training ground in their next game (1pm kick-off).
York City U19’s (vs Gateshead): Taylor (GK) (C), Tate, Crooks, Marshall, Shirley, Dijikingue (Gibson-Booth 42’), Harrison, Dawson, Hernandez (Mortimer 81’), Payne (Wilson 81’), Burland (Lumsden 63’)
Unused Subs: Carr
Goals: Payne (30’), Harrison (73’), Hernandez (79’)