Image by Matthew Appleby
York City won 1-0 at the LNER Community Stadium against Rochdale on Tuesday night in the Vanarama National League.
A fast start for York saw Ollie Pearce beat the Rochdale defenders on a long ball before moving the ball on to Ricky Aguiar, who wrapped his foot around the ball and into the far side of the net.
Tarryn Allarakhia won Rochdale a corner in the 17th minute after his left-footed strike was blocked away by the leg of skipper Callum Howe.
Ryan Fallowfield put in two real defensive moments of quality two minutes later, firstly flicking away a cross before pouncing on the loose ball to fully clear.
Tyrese Sinclair and Rochdale goalkeeper Luke McNicholas collided in the 22nd minute, with the referee unmoved before eventually blowing up to check on the Minstermen winger who stayed down.
Sinclair then stung the palms of the ‘keeper four minutes later after Pearce won a free-kick on the edge of the Dale area thanks to a trip from Rochdale captain Ethan Ebanks-Landell.
The Dale skipper put a header wide on the 30th minute mark after Rochdale’s short corner was eventually delivered.
Adam Hinshelwood’s side worked hard to see the half out and take the lead into the interval.
Another penalty shout did evade The Minstermen just before half time when a push on Aguiar inside the area went unpunished.
Harrison Male was called into action minutes into the second half, denying Kairo Mitchell after he unleashed just inside the box.
Sinclair had Rochdale retreating in the 51st minute, weaving in and out to try and hit an opening.
He then nestled a volley into the path of McNicholas after connecting onto a cleared corner.
Pearce nearly struck City a second in the 58th minute after The Minstermen broke quickly, moving it from left to right and seeing the forward smack it off the post.
Substitute Dipo Akinyemi plated up a superb cross to Marvin Armstrong in the 67th minute but the midfielder couldn’t quite sweep the ball in as Rochdale came out to block.
Forward Billy Chadwick nearly produced a carbon copy of his goal on Saturday against Tamworth in the 77th minute.
Lenell John-Lewis slid through the attacker, who just took it a step too far before being beat to the ball by the Rochdale shot-stopper who launched a counter.
Male was then called into action as he prevented Kairo Mitchell’s shot from doing any damage.
End-to-end attacking continued, with Akinyemi sending a shot just over before Felix saw a cross tipped up and away for a corner.
In the second minute of four additional, Rochdale’s closest chance saw Aaron Henry’s cross flicked wide at the near post by Ebanks-Landell.
Akinyemi looked to top up City’s lead late – crashing an effort off the crossbar out of nothing a minute later.
York next return to the LNER Community Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday when they face Boston United (3pm kick off).
YORK CITY: Male, Fallowfield, Howe (C), Sinclair (60′ Akinyemi), Hunt (90+4′ McLaughlin), Pearce (60′ John-Lewis), Batty, Chadwick, Aguiar (60′ Armstrong), John (60′ O’Connor), Felix.
UNUSED SUBS: Watson, Nathaniel-George.
ROCHDALE: McNicholas, Gordon, Armstrong (74′ Beckwith), East (87′ East), Ebanks-Landell (C), Allarakhia (87′ Senior), Gilmour, Mitchell, Rodney, Adebayo-Rowling, McBride (74′ Burger).
UNUSED SUBS: Kelly, Ferguson, Henderson.
DUTCH BARN MAN OF THE MATCH: Tyrese Sinclair
ATTENDANCE: 5,362 (623 Rochdale supporters)