Image by Mark Comer
The Minstermen lost 3-1 away to Eastleigh at Silverlake Stadium in the Vanarama National League on Saturday afternoon.
Off the back of a long mid-week trip to Needham Market in the Emirates FA Cup, manager Neal Ardley’s side made another trip further down South.
Ardley made three changes to the side which won 1-0 on the road mid-week. Paddy McLaughlin, Lenell Joh-Lewis Callum Howe came in, whilst Dipo Akinyemi and Dan Batty weren’t included in the squad, Quevin Castro dropped to the bench too.
Eastleigh enjoyed the opening 15 minutes of the game, dominating on the ball for the most part but creating little.
Paul McCallum squandered the best chance of the game to break the deadlock at the time, sending a close range shot over the bar in the 16th minute after latching onto the right-hand side cross of Enzio Boldewijn.
City got the ball moving for their first real and only opportunity in the 26th minute when Kai Kennedy struck over. Tyler Cordner began the move, sending a threaded through ball to the on-rushing Ryan Fallowfield down the right, he played in-wards to Kennedy who lifted it over the bar.
Chris Maguire notched Eastleigh the opener in the 33rd minute, cutting inside following a counter attack to send a bending dipping shot up and over Rory Watson from some distance out.
Our hosts continued to play the most football in the half, continuing to carve chances and yield corners against the Minstermen.
The Minstermen registered their first corner of the second half in the 56th minute after good work down the left from Kennedy, however the resulting set-piece was header over and wide by Cordner.
Eastleigh doubled their lead on the 60th minute mark through McCallum after he broke the offside trap to latch onto a header down the pitch, slotting low past the charging Rory Watson.
City responded just three minutes later through defender Callum Howe, who connected with the attacking set-piece of Scott Burgess from the edge of the area to halve the deficit.
Substitute Aiden Marsh had a golden opportunity presented to him to tie the game in the 72nd minute after Cordner again found Fallowfield flying. The cross came in low from the breaking right-back but the forward tamely tapped his effort wide of the mark.
McCallum netted his brace for the afternoon in the 76th minute after pressure from Eastleigh around the Minstermen box paid off with a swinging Boldwijn cross met by the number 9.
A late 88th minute corner could’ve saw City mount another comeback, however Howe’s header back across the box was guided wide by Cordner from a handful of yards out.
Captain Lenell John-Lewis thought he had begun a potential comeback in the 90th minute after meeting a deep cross to head past McDonnell, however the linesman swiftly raised his flag to succumb City to defeat at Silverlake Stadium.
York return to action midweek when they travel away to Chesterfield (7.45pm kick off.)
EASTLEIGH: McDonnell, Francillette, Taylor ©, McCallum, Boldewijn, Langston, Maguire, Clements, Panter, Quigley, Harris (75′ Atangana).
UNUSED SUBS: Scott, Barlow, Rutherford, Chalwell.
YORK CITY: Watson, Fallowfield, Crookes, Cordner, McLaughlin, John-Lewis ©, Howe, Burgess (63’ Marsh), Kennedy, Woodyard (86’ Dyson), Smith.
UNUSED SUBS: Whitley, Castro, Hancox.
ATTENDANCE: 2,327 (314 York City supporters)