Photo by Adam Davy
York City registered a second win on the road this week with a crucial 1-0 victory over Hartlepool United at the Suit Direct Stadium.
The game started with short lived celebrations for City as a lobbed through ball by Tyrese Sinclair was met by Lewis Richardson who poked the ball into the net, but the linesman had his flag up for offside.
Sinclair was involved in the attacking threat once again when he was looking to get on the end of a Jeff King cross, but the ball just evaded the city number seven as it bounced out of play.
In the 17th minute the Mintermen were handed a free kick in a crossing position from the right-hand side. King swung the ball in before it fell to Ricky Aguiar who launched a shot at goal, but his shot bounced just over the bar.
The hosts’ first chance of note fell to Luke Charman who headed the ball at goal from inside the box, but Harrison Male jumped high to tip the ball onto the post.
City were looking good in attack and looked to test Adam Smith in the Hartlepool goal. Batty played a corner to the edge of the box and there was Aguiar to strike at goal however his effort was deflected into the arms of Smith.
Arguably the best chance of the game to time come to the hosts when Charman tried his luck from outside the box. His shot took a bobble off the ground and could only be parried by Male and into the path of Gary Madie who couldn’t adjust in time to swing the ball in.
In what was an eventful first half, it came to no surprise when City got the opener. Malachi Fagan-Walcott with a pass into the box which was knocked on by a Hartlepool player and into the path of Pearce who struck the ball into the top right-hand corner.
The hosts nearly got an instant response when a free-kick swung in from the right was met by the head of Luke Waterfall who got his effort at goal but Male made the save.
David Ferguson was teeing up the first chance of the second half when his cross from the left was met by fellow substitute Sam Folarin at the back post, but he headed over.
Hartlepool turned to forward Mani Dieseruvwe off the bench as they looked for a leveller. He had a golden chance almost straight away as his shot was saved by Male, but it rebounded to the striker with all the goal to aim at, but he blazed his shot over.
In the 67th minute of the game it looked destined to be a second goal for the Minstermen as the ball fell kindly to Pearce inside the Hartlepool box, but he slipped as he struck the ball, and the hosts were able to see the ball out for a corner.
The second half was proving to be an end-to-end contest. City had the next chance when substitute Lennell John-Lewis struck the ball on the volley from inside the box, but his shot whistled just over the bar.
John-Lewis was looking to get involved again when his shot from outside the box was struck well but into the palms of Adam Smith.
The final chance of the game came to Natham Sheron who shot the ball from outside the box but he could only find the stand behind the goal.
HARTLEPOOL: Smith, Parkes, Waterfall, Hunter, Madine (Dieseruvwe 60’), Charman (Folarin 60’), Grey (Campbell 86’), Sheron, Featherstone (Miley 78’), Cleary, Robinson (Ferguson 22’).
YORK CITY: Male, Howe, Sinclair (Luamba 55’), Hunt (Armstrong 79’), Pearce, Richardson (Felix 71’), Batty (Chadwick 92’), Aguiar (John-Lewis), John, Fagan-Walcott, King
ATTENDANCE: 775 Away.
