York City exited the North Riding Senior Cup in the Second Round on Wednesday night, losing on penalties to Yarm & Eaglescliffe following an eventful 3-3 draw.
A youthful Minstermen side, similar to the group that faced Bradford City in the FA Youth Cup a week earlier, saw a handful of changes made by Tim Ryan.
The tone was set inside the opening minutes, with chances flying at both ends.
Inside sixty seconds, Yarm & Eaglescliffe skewed wide from the edge of the area, before City carved out a huge opportunity moments later. A cut-back from the right found Jake Roberts unmarked, but he diverted his effort agonisingly past the post.
From the resulting goal-kick, City immediately regained possession, allowing Eddie Kettlewell to burst forward and fire straight at the goalkeeper.
After the chaotic opening, the next major opening came from a Y&E corner. Captain Cam Wild found the ball dropping kindly to him, but he lifted his strike high into the stands.
The end-to-end football continued, as the Minstermen threatened again, forcing stopper Lee Roberts to save three shots in quick succession.
Our hosts had the ball in the back of the net after 22 minutes, but the goal would not stand with the offside flag already raised.
Back to City, and it was midfielder Lucas Russell who found space to run into and exploit as he advanced towards the box, shooting from range, but in the end, it was an easy claim for the ‘keeper.
Lucas Russell tried his luck from distance shortly after, but his effort was a comfortable stop for the home ‘keeper.
Campbell White made his first key save of the match when he denied Joe Dalton in a one-on-one, sticking out a strong leg to block the effort.
City then came inches away from opening the scoring on the half-hour. A free-kick from the byline was headed goalwards, but a Y&E defender reacted brilliantly to clear off the line.
Five minutes later, Joe Dalton handed the hosts a 1-0 lead, smashing home a loose ball within the box.
It was only one at the break, however, it could easily have been two, with Steven Roberts rolling an unlucky effort against the post right at the end.
York had the better chances early in the second half.
Kettlewell saw his attempt deflected behind for a corner, before the resulting set-piece fell to Oz Shaw at the back post; he scuffed a shot just wide.
Down at the other end, Steven Roberts drove one narrowly across the face of goal.
He made up for that, though, in the 57th minute, bringing the ball down inside the area and tucking it under White for Y&E’s second.
City pulled a goal back through Ben Farrar in the 63rd minute. Kettlewell’s short ball from the right was hit first-time into the bottom corner by Farrar.
The number nine almost had the equaliser shortly after the restart. His deflected shot was well parried by the ‘keeper.
The Minstermen did get the goal to make it 2-2 just before the 70th minute.
Substitute Sutton Greening found the top corner on the second bite of the cherry. He saw his first effort blocked, but chested the rebound outside the D and unleashed a stunning half-volley into the top corner.
The game heated up in the closing stages, with Yarm & Eaglescliffe reduced to ten men for a second yellow card, before a long ball from Lee Roberts bounced over everyone, and Harry Williams latched onto it and slotted home to restore the advantage.
The referee would go on to send off another man in blue with more than ten minutes left to play.
Greening continued to threaten, though his low strike in the 80th minute was easily gathered.
Deep into stoppage time, Farrar raced onto a through ball and was brought down by goalkeeper Lee Roberts, earning City a 93rd-minute penalty.
Greening stepped up and, as usual, delivered — calmly converting to make it 3–3 and take the tie to spot-kicks.
The 90 minutes would conclude with 14 yellow cards dished out, two red cards, and six goals, bringing an end to an entertaining battle.
A penalty shootout was to decide who advanced through to the next round.
Y&E scored the first penalty, before Greening had his saved.
The home side made no mistake with their second.
Tom Hewson was next to step up for the Minstermen, however the Yarm & Eaglescliffe stopper guessed right, saving to his left.
Tom Atkinson buried his spot-kick to put Y&E on the brink of victory. That proved decisive when Farrar lifted his penalty over the bar, confirming York’s exit.
Yarm & Eaglescliffe: Lee Roberts, Jack Dalton, Conway (Hillerby 90+5′), Joe Dalton (Bulmer 57′), Wild (C), Dougall, Marshall, Stewart-Titchiner, Williams (Scaife-Wheatle 89′), Larkin, Steven Roberts (Cheesebrough 71′, (Atkinson 90+3′)).
York City: White, Shaw, Beadle (Hewson 78′), Belleh (C), Newall (Kydd 78′), Russell, Kettlewell, Stiver (Binns 78′), Farrar, Day (Greening 60′), Jake Roberts (Baker 53′).
