Photo by Tom Poole
York City started 2025 with a bang, clinching a crucial 1-0 win over Gateshead in the Vanarama National League, to climb back to the top of the table.
Midfielder Marvin Armstrong scored the only goal of the game, nodding in from a first-half corner to send 7,121 York fans home happy.
Manager Adam Hinshelwood made two changes from the side that beat Southend United eleven days earlier.
Dipo Akinyemi and David Ajiboye replaced Tyrese Sinclair and Ashley Nathaniel-George, who both dropped to the bench.
It took some time for the game to properly get going, with the first chance coming after ten minutes. A free kick routine from just outside the box ended with Jovan Malcolm hammering wide of goal for the visitors.
City soon tried to make the early breakthrough too, as Dan Batty perfectly timed a lob pass over the top to Ollie Pearce, but he couldn’t quite manage to divert his first-time header over the oncoming Owen Mason
The Minstermen won their first corner in the 21st minute, which was whipped in by Batty, and flicked on by Pearce for Armstrong to nod over the line and claim his fourth of the season.
Gateshead looked to level, and arguably should have, with multiple chances evolving inside the box, but they were constantly denied by City’s solid defensive work.
It could have been two on the day for Armstrong though down at the other end – Ajiboye took it down to the byline before pulling it back into the box for the goalscorer to strike and have his effort saved by the ‘keeper.
Tyrelle Newton tried one from distance three minutes before the break, and on the turn, curled it narrowly over the crossbar, before he had a tame shot inside the box saved by Harrison Male shortly after.
After returning for the second half, Akinyemi had an excellent chance to double the advantage, almost going through on goal but letting a low shot off which rolled across the face and wide.
The Heed had a couple of opportunities just before the half-hour mark, but Ben Worman failed to convert either, shooting straight at Male and then powering over the goal frame.
City went close in the 69th minute, through a long-range Akinyemi rocket, which was unluckily deflected away.
Lenell John-Lewis too came not far from adding a second to the scoreline almost instantly after coming off the bench – he was put through by Pearce, but he managed to slice wide and into the South Stand.
One final chance and a golden one came around in the 89th minute, when Pearce found himself one on one with the ‘keeper, but somehow managed to agonisingly place it the wrong side of the post.
Ultimately, it was just the single goal from Armstrong that the Minstermen needed to take them back to the top of the National League, and to start the year with a big three points.
City are next in Isuzu FA Trophy action, away at Gainsborough Trinity this Saturday, before returning to the league a week later at Maidenhead United.
YORK CITY: Male, Howe ©, Hunt, Akinyemi, Pearce, Armstrong, Batty (60’ Sinclair), Aguiar (79’ Fallowfield), Felix, Fagan-Walcott, Ajiboye (60’ Nathaniel-George).
UNUSED SUBS: Watson, Chadwick, King.
GATESHEAD: Mason, Booty ©, Worman, Belehouan, Humbles (79’ Colkett), Radcliffe, Grayson (90+1’ Jones), Hannant, Newton (64’ McGowan), Williams (79’ Adom), Malcolm.
UNUSED SUBS: Leech, Richardson, Tinkler.
DUTCH BARN ORCHARD VODKA MAN OF THE MATCH, CHOSEN BY DOREEN ADAMS: Marvin Armstrong.
ATTENDANCE: 7,554 (433 Gateshead supporters)
