York City U18s confirmed their place in the First Round Proper of the FA Youth Cup after an impressive 5-2 victory over Boro Rangers on Thursday evening.
City put out an unchanged starting eleven from our 6-0 beating of Bradford Park Avenue in the previous round two weeks ealier.
Sutton Greening had the first shot of the game, his shot from inside the box blocked wide for a corner.
City had the lead after just four minutes. An interception in the middle allowed Ben Farrar with room to shoot from the edge of the box, and he placed a brilliant left-footed shot into the bottom corner.
Boro Rangers responded almost instantly. Another shot from the edge of the box found its way into the bottom corner.
Boro nearly had another from a similar position, but the acrobatic Campbell White made a strong left-handed stop.
In the 18th minute, City retook the lead. Michael Kydd latched onto a loose ball inside the box to steer the ball home.
Moments after, Farrar nearly had his second, but the Rangers keeper pulled off a great stop to deny him from close range.
Donovan Day was next to test the man in goal. His shot from a tight angle was tipped behind for a corner.
City extended the lead to three when a great ball in the box was met at the back post by Kydd once more, who nodded the ball into the net for his second of the night.
The first chance of the second half fell the Minstermen’s way. Greening drove a shot goalwards only to be denied by a great block in the box.
York had a promising free-kick awarded in a crossing position. The resulting ball left Lewis Beadle with a header at the back post but he could only watch as his header bounced just wide.
The lead was extended to four when the ball was played through to the darting Farrar, who rounded the ball past the keeper before slotting home into the net.
Sub Eddie Kettlewell registered his first chance when he hit a shot from outside the box; this one flew wide of the left-hand post.
With ten to play, Boro Rangers reduced the deficit when a cross floating into the box was headed on inside the six-yard box, leaving White stranded.
However, less than a minute later, the three-goal advantage was restored. With his first touch of the game, Tom Hewson drove the ball goalwards and beat the keeper.
The final chance of the game came when sub Ed Campbell produced some neat footwork on the edge of the box before planting a shot goalwards, but it went just over the bar.
Boro were reduced to ten men when a late challenge on a City man left the referee with no choice.
That didn’t make any difference to the overall outcome, though, as it was York who would move on through to the First Round.
York City: White, Kydd, Beadle (Hewson 80′), Belleh (C), Shaw, Baker, Roberts (Kettlewell 63′), Russell, Farrar (Newall 86′), Greening (Campbell 65′), Day (Binns 80′).
Subs not used: Zubrickas, Clarke.
Attendance: 140.