Ten-man York City fell to a gutting late defeat at home to Chester U19s on Wednesday afternoon in the National League U19 Alliance North.
Adam Tweed, on dual-registration with Ossett United, was named in the matchday squad for the first time since our cup defeat away at Chester back in November.
He returned to the side and made an immediate impact, handing City the lead after only two minutes with an excellent finish from inside the box.
Cam White was called into action for the first time in the ninth minute, coming out to shut down a Seals opportunity.
City went close to doubling their advantage soon after, with Michael Kydd thundering an effort against the woodwork, before Lincon Newall later hit the target from distance, though the ‘keeper was equal to it.
The game took a turn in the 34th minute as referee Craig Atkin deemed there to have been a shirt pull just inside the box by Ollie Belleh. The skipper was shown a red card, and the visitors were awarded a penalty.
White dived down to his right to excellently keep it out, before Lewis Beadle whistled an effort narrowly over the bar at the opposite end.
Chester did manage to find an equaliser just before the break, converting a one-on-one to send the teams in level at half-time.
Within a minute of the second half getting underway, the Minstermen produced some superb defending to block the ball off the line.
Soon after, another scramble inside the York penalty area followed, but thankfully the ball eventually fell into the arms of White.
Eddie Kettlewell then had a golden chance to restore City’s lead as he rounded the Seals stopper, but he could only find the side netting.
Following a quieter spell, Chester went close with a looping header high and wide, before City retook the lead in the 63rd minute.
Tweed drove an effort towards the far bottom corner, which the ‘keeper got a good hand to, but the rebound fell kindly to Kydd at the back post, who made no mistake in turning the ball home.
Buoyed by the goal, Kydd made a dart down the wing soon after, his cross-shot forcing the ‘keeper to tip behind for a corner.
The away side pegged City back again in the 73rd minute.
White denied them a third moments later, reacting sharply to get down and block an angled effort.
York edged in front for a third time with fourteen minutes remaining. Ben Farrar did well down the right, cutting the ball back for Kettlewell, who smashed high into the net.
Kettlewell almost added a second soon after, bursting through before seeing his shot saved.
In the 84th minute, a low strike from the visitors had to be turned behind; however, the resulting corner was headed home by a yellow and black shirt.
Four minutes later, the visitors completed the turnaround, firing into the top corner from a close-range indirect free-kick following a pass-back.
City sent everyone forward as they looked to get something out of the match, but the final big chance came with White making an incredible diving save at height to ensure the margin didn’t increase.
York City: White, Kydd, Beadle, Belleh (C), Shaw, Russell, Tweed (Greening 73′), Kettlewell (Hewson 86′), Farrar, Newall, Binns.
Subs not used: Stiver, Baker, Hall.
