York City’s pre-season campaign began with a 1-0 loss away at Garforth Town on Tuesday night.
Adam Hinshelwood fielded a side captained by Ryan Fallowfield, and with Mo Fadera starting against the club he scored for in the same fixture last year.
Garforth were on the front foot early on, with Charlie Marshall the conductor of their first shot, which was well defended by a sliding Dan Batty challenge to put it behind for a corner.
The hosts threatened soon after from another corner – Fallowfield’s awkward clearing header fell back into the box, creating a goalmouth scramble in which George Sykes-Kenworthy was forced to claw the ball off the line, before the referee called offside.
Cameron John was the first City man to try his luck in the game, with two hopeful efforts, but neither finding the back of the net.
His first attempt was drilled wide of Harry Flatters’ right post, before a burst into the box on 23 minutes ended in the ‘keeper blocking John’s close-range try.
Ex-Miners youngster Fadera orchestrated another good Minstermen move before the half-hour mark – he twisted and turned before laying the ball off for Batty to drive one low and straight into the ‘keeper’s arms.
Our best chance in the game so far came through club stalwart Paddy McLaughlin in the 31st minute – he picked up the ball about 30 yards from goal and struck beautifully towards the top corner, only to be denied by the palms of Flatters.
Towards the end of the first half, John and Ricky Aguiar both saw their shots fly adrift of the target, with the scores level at the break.
The second 45 began with just one York change, a trialist goalkeeper replacing Sykes-Kenworthy, before a whole host of substitutions were made 15 minutes later.
Just before the senior players would make way for a more youthful City side, Batty and Leone Gravata both had great opportunities, but unfortunately, they couldn’t find the back of the net.
In the 69th minute, Garforth took the lead through Owen Marshall, who was alert and managed to clip the ball from range over the York stopper and into the net.
They went close again moments later, this time with Donald Chimalilo winning the ball just outside the area and finding space to shoot, which he did, but watched his low effort trickle narrowly past the far post.
Max Bauer had a similar chance inside the final ten minutes – his advancing run into the box resulted in the eventual shot being placed on the wrong side of the left-hand post.
The last action of the game came from a York City free kick, which Sutton Greening whipped into the box, and set up Jake Roberts with a header that he could only loop over the bar.
York City: Sykes-Kenworthy (Trialist 60’), Fallowfield (Beadle 60’), Armstrong (Belleh 60’), Chadwick (Farrar 52’), Batty (Baker 60’), Aguiar (Newall 60’), Trialist (Silvester 60’ (Roberts 90+’)), Gravata (Russell 60’ (Kydd 90+’)), John (Shaw 60’), Fadera (Greening 60’), McLaughlin (Tweed 60’).
Garforth Town: Flatters, Ejupi, Tweddle, O.Marshall, Emery, Barkway, C.Marshall, Savage, Aldrich, Colville, Connolly.
Attendance: 1,142.
