York City U19s lost 1-0 against Maidstone United in the National League Football Academy Cup Final at St. George’s Park on Wednesday evening.
City’s U19s returned to St. George’s Park for the second year running, after lifting the trophy last season, looking for a repeat of proceedings.
It was late heartbreak this time for the young Minstermen however, who couldn’t retain their trophy after a 90+5th minute freekick found the back of the net.
Sam Taylor was called into action inside the opening minute, reading a distance shot all the way to routinely save.
Elliott Wenham rolled one wide minutes later for Maidstone, driving down the left-hand flank but being unable to hit the target.
City eased into the game and soon started to bring it to Maidstone.
Taylor’s delightful distribution got the forwards moving in the 14th minute. He picked out Harry Burland, who carried forward before Harvey Hope sent a left-footed shot into the palms of Chris Swift.
Referee James Cairns was waving away penalty shouts just four minutes later, denying City a chance from the spot despite Burland being cut across of inside the area.
Left-back McKenzie Crooks delivered an inviting chance to Hope a minute later, but the forward’s connection wasn’t clean in order to take full advantage of the chance.
Crooks went again a minute after, again to Hope who hit hard but wide after a nick off a Maidstone defender.
Wenham saw sight of Taylor’s goal again in the 26th minute, this time with the near post shot saved.
George Harrison picked out the ever-problematic Burland in the 41st minute, with the forward controlling the ball well before blasting into the charging Swift.
A mix-up at the back for the Stones saw Hope gifted a chance on the edge of the area just before the break, but the forward’s shot had little pace along the ground in the end.
Riley Court cleared the crossbar with an attacking free kick for Maidstone straight after the half time interval.
Wenham then had a shot blocked by Roan Shirley before it was flicked out for a corner, which Bill Marshall cleared after rising high.
Harrison worked an opening on the edge of the area in the 51st minute, stinging the palms of Swift in the Stones’ net.
Swift then denied Hope from close range in the 63rd minute when the forward tried to lift his shot over the ‘keeper.
Stones substitute Paddy Flynn struck wide from the close range shortly after, with both sides knocking on the doors.
City right-back Ben Tate used his body bravely in the 79th minute to block away a chance which fall invitingly for Stones substitute Akshar Santosh.
It was the turn of City substitute Charlie Lumsden to try make an impact, but in the end he guided a weak header wide in the 84th minute.
Alex Payne saw red in the 85th minute after sliding in for a 50/50 challenge, which referee James Cairns deemed to be a red card challenge.
City looked to be seeing out for penalties for the remainder of the tie, with Court’s distance shot easily claimed by Taylor as the game went on.
Flynn had City hearts racing in the 90+4th minute when he crashed a chance onto the post from a handful of yards out.
Maidstone did strike first in the end through a Court freekick, in the 90+5th minute, to seal their victory in the Final.
YORK CITY U19S: Taylor ©, Tate (90′ Grumley), Crooks, Marshall, Shirley, Gibson-Booth, Harrison (59’ Lumsden), Payne, Hope (75′ Farrar), Dawson, Burland (86′ Edenene).
UNUSED SUB: Carr.
MAIDSTONE: Swift, Wincott, Hatton, Parle, Jackson-Hunt ©, Richards, Mitford, Clark, Wenham, Court, Jackson.
SUBS: Flynn, Wilson, Akash Santosh, Akshar Santosh, Bedzram.