York City lost 2-0 away to Forest Green Rovers at The Bolt New Lawn in Vanarama National League action on Saturday evening.
Defeat, through goals from Harvey Bunker and Kyle McAllister, brought to an end The Minstermen’s 12 game unbeaten run in league action.
Adam Hinshelwood made two changes to the side which beat Hartlepool United in an early kick off last week.
Winger Tyrese Sinclair and midfielder Ricky Aguiar drop to the bench as Dipo Akinyemi and Ashley Nathaniel-George come in to the side.
It was Akinyemi who struck off arguably City’s best chance of the first half after just three minutes.
The forward controlled the ball well before driving in and shifting on to his left foot, aiming to creep the ball in at the near post of Jed Ward.
Malachi Fagan-Walcott proved his worth with three excellent clearances for York inside the opening six minutes.
Alex Hunt pulled the strings in the 18th minute, sending the defence the wrong way as he threaded through for Ollie Pearce.
Our forward latched on and struck but had his effort swiftly blocked away for a York corner.
Dan Batty stepped up next from midfield to strike the ball hard from distance, and win a corner following a nick, in the 32nd minute,
City did lose Cameron John to injury shortly before half time as Jeff King stepped in for his York City debut.
Forest Green Rovers set their stall out inside the opening minute of the second half when Joe Quigley was threaded through from midfield, casually striking the post from inside City’s area.
Midfielder Harvey Bunker caused problems too, having a shot blocked before going on to head in for a possible opener, only to be ruled out by the assistant referee.
In the 64th minute, just two minutes after the initial scare, it was Bunker who curled in from just inside City’s box.
Kyle McAllister was next to be denied a goal through offside when Charlie McCann broke with pace, however the pass was too late as McAllister veered off before bending his chance in.
Debutant Jeff King dropped a City corner in to the area for Fagan-Walcott to strike at. The defender connected but guided it down and to the middle of Jed Ward’s goal.
David Ajiboye also tested goalkeeper Ward in the 81st minute, turning at the edge of the area to shoot and call the shot-stopper into a low dive to his right.
After netting when offside, similarly to Bunker it was McAllister who topped up the goal tally for Forest Green Rovers’ second.
The winger crashed in his left footed effort off the post and in on the 83rd minute mark to wrap up the game for Steve Cotterill’s side.
York City are next in action at home to Yeovil Town on Saturday, November 23rd (3pm kick off). Tickets are on sale now via the ‘Matchday Tickets’ page.
FOREST GREEN ROVERS: Ward, Long, Tozer, McAllister (90+4′ Doidge), McCann, Knowles (73′ Jenks), Moore-Taylor (C), Bunker, Robson, May, Quigley (77′ Cardwell).
UNUSED SUBS: Searle, Lavinier, Omotoye.
YORK CITY: Male, Howe (C), Hunt, Akinyemi (80′ Sinclair), Pearce, Nathaniel-George (80′ Aguiar), Batty (69′ Armstrong), John (43′ King), Felix, Fagan-Walcott, Ajiboye.
UNUSED SUBS: Watson, Fallowfield, Thomas.
ATTENDANCE: 2,697 (604 York City supporters)
