York City U19s made it back-to-back 3-2 wins to start the season, with the latest result coming away at South Shields.
An unchanged eleven took to the field at Leisure United Downhill, although there was one alteration to the bench, as Ben Farrar was named amongst the substitutes.
The young Minstermen had the perfect beginning, opening the scoring within the first five minutes.
Ollie Belleh recovered the ball in the middle of the park and chipped it into space for Oz Shaw to control the pass; he then sent a lovely through ball over the top, into the path of Donny Day, who did excellently to latch onto it and sweep it home.
Unlike last week’s magic, Sutton Greening was unable to beat the wall with his free-kick soon after, but the rebound fell to Belleh on the edge, who struck a rising effort over the bar on the half-volley.
Twelve minutes after Day’s opening strike, South Shields got themselves level.
With plenty of space outside of the box, their ‘number seven’ drove forward before sliding in his teammate who was awaiting the pass inside the area, before taking a touch and firing past White to equalise.
City had a great chance to quickly retake the lead, but failed to take advantage.
Tom Hewson used a bit of skill on the wing to spin the last man, allowing him to burst down the flank and put a low cross in for Day, whose initial shot was blocked before Adam Tweed’s follow-up was an easy stop for the ‘keeper.
Just after the 30-minute mark, the visitors did edge in front again.
It came from a mislaid pass at the back w,hich Day was quick to pounce on and drive a ball towards the six-yard box, which went all the way past, and came to Greening on the left, who hit it back across and with a bit of luck, a Mariners defender turned the ball into his own net.
However, that advantage lasted only three minutes, South Shields pegging City back yet again in the first half.
Their ‘number nine’, who had also scored the first, beat a couple of men on the left, headed into the box, and tucked the ball home to make it 2-2.
There were big opportunities for them to come from behind to lead as well shortly after.
Had it not been for the alert Cam White in goal tipping a good strike over, it could well have been a first-half hat-trick for the Shields attacker.
White was diving at full stretch, precautionary, minutes later, as a curling shot flew just wide of the mark.
Just before the whistle blew, York would have one last chance, as Greening battled to win the ball in the opposition half, then knocked it into the path of Tweed, who forced the ‘keeper to divert his effort away.
Moving into the second half, City got back on track in the 56th minute, through Jake Roberts.
A precise long ball from White went over everyone and picked out the substitute, who coolly beat the ‘keeper to the ball and finished the move with an exquisite chip into the back of the net.
The home side were obviously keen to level things up once more, but the Minstermen stopper was hardly troubled by the attempts faced early in the second 45.
It was probably Roberts who came closest in the opening phases with a low strike rolling so closely past the far post.
A couple more Mariners chances arrived, one from a free-kick which was blocked by the wall, and after that, a potential one-on-one situation which White shut down rapidly.
Hewson was back at it again with his tricks down the other end, going it alone on the right, before whipping in a cross for a blue shirt at the back post, which came sliding in with a shot behind the goal frame.
Tweed’s shot over the bar in injury time would be the final action, and City walked away with maximum points from their first two games.
York City: White, Newall, Binns, Belleh ©, Baker, Beadle, Tweed, Shaw, Hewson, Greening, Day.
Substitutes: Kydd, Farrar, Russell, Roberts, Clarke.
