Two late goals condemned York City U19s to a 5-3 defeat against league leaders Gateshead at the training ground on Wednesday.
Elvis Hall made his first start since signing from Aldershot, while Ollie Belleh returned from suspension. Ethan Stiver also came back into the starting eleven, with the trio replacing Michael Kydd, Lewis Beadle and Eddie Kettlewell.
City had the first chance, with Lucas Russell rising in the box to direct a Sutton Greening cross just over the bar.
The visitors soon looked to threaten themselves, driving the ball across the face of goal, before Josh Binns saw his low effort deflected wide at the other end.
The opener came from Gateshead in the 19th minute, a vicious strike fired into the bottom corner from inside the ‘D’.
Ten minutes later they tried a shot from a similar position, with the effort drifting narrowly wide of the near post.
On the half-hour mark, City levelled with a well-worked move finished by Tom Hewson. From the back, Lincoln Newall played a wonderful through ball over the top for Jake Roberts, who crossed for Hewson to nod neatly into the far corner.
A York corner almost caused problems for the Heed six minutes later. The ball dropped to Oz Shaw, whose half-volley proved a comfortable claim for the ‘keeper.
Roberts was next to try his luck in the closing stages of the half, forcing a decent stop from inside the box, before Hewson fired in a low effort that was also saved.
Just before the break, Russell struck a fierce first-time shot from the edge of the area, but the ‘keeper was again equal to it.
Gateshead retook the lead in the 51st minute when a ball through the middle was latched onto by a forward, who rounded Cam White and tucked it away.
That advantage lasted just thirteen minutes, though. Sutton Greening picked up possession just outside the area, dummied a defender and poked the ball past the goalkeeper.
Level once again, City pushed forward and went close when Russell’s cross was headed over by substitute Ben Farrar.
The Heed squandered a golden opportunity in the 78th minute when a delivery towards the penalty spot was chested down and blasted high over the bar.
Three minutes later, however, a side-footed effort was rolled into the far corner to make it 3-2.
But the pattern continued, and the Minstermen responded once more to equalise for a third time. Newall spotted Farrar’s run and delivered a perfectly timed cross which the striker smashed home.
However, straight from the restart, Gateshead broke forward and tapped into an empty net to regain the advantage.
Searching for more late drama, Greening forced the goalkeeper into action in stoppage time with a powerful strike that stung the palms of the stopper.
At the other end, the visitors struck the woodwork from a tight angle before sealing the win in the sixth minute of injury time, scoring their fifth with what proved to be the final kick of the game.
York City: White, Hall, Shaw, Belleh (C), Newall, Stiver, Roberts (Kettlewell 48′), Russell (Campbell-Baldwin 74′), Hewson (Farrar 54′), Greening, Binns.
Sub not used: Zubrickas.
