Photo by Tom Poole
York City made it three wins in a row with a sublime victory over Rochdale in a wet LNER evening.
Rochdale registered the first chance after two minutes. A ball fizzed in from the right, just evaded Mani Dieseruvwe in the box before rolling out for a goal-kick.
There were few chances in the opening 15 minutes. Ryan East’s corner meeting a fellow Rochdale man in the box but his shot at goal was easily blocked by Malachi Fagan-Walcott.
City’s first chance came from a corner. Dan Batty’s ball into the box reached Fagan-Walcott towards the back post but his header went wide of the mark.
York were starting to grow into the game and created a good chance in the 22nd minute. Batty’s ball towards the back post reached Ollie Banks on the volley but the midfielder put his shot wide.
The best chance in the opening 30 came from Rochdale. Tyler Smith found himself with room to shoot with only Harrison Male to beat. Male did well to make the save and deny the visitors the opener.
York took the lead in the 35th minute, another dangerous cross fed in by Mark Kitching met the head of Ollie Pearce inside the box who glanced the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.
The visitors replied almost immediately. A slip in the left-hand corner allowed Tobi Adebayo-Rowling with room to shoot before burying a shot past Male and into the net.
City did hit Rochdale back with another shot from distance but Ollie Banks’ shot was pushed away Oliver Whatmuff.
Just seconds into the second half and City re-took the lead. Josh Stones winning the ball in a dangerous area before taking on the Rochdale defence and slotting the ball home with his left-foot.
Josh Stones was turning it into a 5 minutes to remember. Again the number 9 receiving the ball in the Rochdale box before placing the ball into the back of the net to give City a two-goal cushion.
York nearly made it four in the 55th minute. Pearce with a shot inside the box was saved by Whatmuff into the path of Joe Felix but the City man dragged his shot wide of the post.
Rochdale went in search of a lifeline when Connor McBride went racing through on goal. His shot with only Male to beat was well saved by the City keeper.
The score was made four not long after. Fagan-Walcott’s ball into the box reaching Ollie Pearce inside the box who coolly placed his shot into the bottom right-hand corner.
York nearly had the game wrapped up with a fifth not long before the end but sub Hiram Boateng’s low shot from inside the box was tipped just wide of the target.
York City: Male, Kitching, Fagan-Walcott, Howe, Hunt, Stones, Pearce, Brookes, Batty, Banks, Felix.
Subs: Sykes-Kenworthy, Fallowfield, Nathaniel-George, Hewitt, Boateng, Olley, Newby.
Rochdale: Whatmuff, Gordon, East, Ebanks-Landell, Gilmour, Dieseruvwe, Rodney, Adebayo-Rowling, Berkoe, Beckwith, Smith.
Subs: Tutonda, Allarkhia, Pettit, Barlow, McBride, Moss, Henderson.
Attendance: 6643 (722 away fans).
