Image by Adam Davy
A youthful Minstermen side lost 2-0 to Garforth Town in our penultimate pre-season friendly fixture on Tuesday night.
Goals in both halves gave Garforth victory in their final pre-season friendly fixture before their competitive season commenced.
Garforth started the game strongly. Matt Antcliff drew a save from George Sykes-Kenworthy, before the hosts won back-to-back corners minutes later.
Zanda Siziba showed early flashes of quality down the right flank too. His turn of pace firstly allowed the winger to cross into the path of Leone Gravata, who just missed out on the ball at the far post.
The winger then slotted the ball through the Garforth defender’s legs before bursting into the area and hitting a shot on target at Harry Flatters.
An audacious effort from inside Garforth’s own half nearly caught City out. Jason Davis hit but the shot bounced early and over the bar in the end.
Young forward Harvey Hope won York an attacking free-kick just outside the area in the 27th minute. Siziba’s set-piece hit the target, but it was routine for Flatters in the end.
Antcliff went up the other end inside the same minute, slicing wide at Sykes-Kenworthy’s left-hand post after a counter attack.
The hosts took the lead in the 34th minute. Garforth worked it well inside the area before Antcliff’s left-footed effort curled into the far side of the net.
Bailey Wilson’s 42nd minute effort was arguably The Minstermen’s best shot of the half. A ball-roll in a tight space before hammering at the near-post, pulling a save, gave City a corner.
The second half saw a flurry of substitutions from both sides across the 45.
It took the young York side until the 58th minute to really work the opposition’s shot-stopper. Bill Marshall’s pinpoint cross picked out Wilson at the back post, with his header nearly catching out the wrong footed goalkeeper.
A square ball across Garforth’s box in the 73rd minute teased the York side, who couldn’t connect with the ball to convert.
Further half chances followed minutes later for the Minstermen, with shots blocked away inside the area.
Garforth doubled up their advantage in the 82nd minute. Substitute Mo Fadera cut in from the left flank before converting with a right-footed shot into the far side of the net.
York are next in action in their final pre-season friendly fixture when they travel to Spennymoor on Saturday, August 3rd.
GARFORTH TOWN: Flatters, Zachariou (76′ Peltier), Jeff, Ball, Viggars (67′ Bauer), Barkway, Marshall (67′ Fadera), Davis, Antcliff (67′ Cable), Barker (88′ Trialist A), Smith (83′ Burgess).
UNUSED SUBS: Zealand, Wells.
YORK CITY: Sykes-Kenworthy (67′ Taylor), Latty-Fairweather (58′ Djikingue), McLaughlin, Gravata (54′ Farrar), Shirley, Bailey, Wilson, Andoh (28′ Tate), Crooks, Marshall, Siziba (46′ Glynn).
ATTENDANCE: 866
