Image by Tom Poole.
The Minstermen lost 3-1 against AFC Fylde in the Vanarama National League at the LNER Community Stadium on Tuesday night.
After initially opening the scoring and being pegged back in the first half, the visitors went on to take all three points in the second half through substitute Ash Hunter and Jon Ustabasi.
Adam Hinshelwood made four changes to his side which took on Wealdstone days prior.
Michael Duckworth, Tyler Cordner, Danny Amos and Charlie Allen made way for Ryan Fallowfield, Finlay Barnes, Alex Woodyard and Will Smith.
City found themselves behind inside the opening five minutes when Joe Westley flicked in a cross from the left-hand flank.
A potential doubler just whistled past the post in the 10th minute when Jon Ustabasi drove and drove before moving inwards and firing wide.
Smith netted the leveller four minutes later, tucking away a delightful cross from Barnes.
George Sykes-Kenworthy’s post was rattled minutes after when the Fylde attacker sent his shot off the post from the edge of the area.
The goal scorer looked to strike a brace in the 25th minute, nodding a deep cross from Ryan Fallowfield into the palms of Theo Richardson.
A familiar effort was also made by Will Davies in the 32nd after some neat Minstermen attacking work around Fylde’s area.
A goal line clearance saw City into the interval level in the 41st minute. A Fylde corner flashed across the box initially, and again when Harry Davis played it back into the middle, before a shot was swung away by a retreating Minstermen defender.
Midfielder Dan Batty struck a solid half-volley to open the second half, latching onto the clearance of his own deep set-piece to draw a save.
The troublesome Westley looked to have broke the City defensive line in the 52nd minute, but the clear-cut chance just evaded the forward and a tame effort followed.
Fylde notched ahead in the game on the 62nd minute through substitution Ash Hunter, who sent a pinpoint shot into the top corner from the edge of the area.
A third goal for the visitors was added in the 73rd minute by the ever-present Ustabasi, who broke down the right-hand flank and into the area before prodding past Sykes-Kenworthy.
More damage could’ve been inflicted by Max Conway and Hunter, with both flashing shots across City’s goal.
YORK CITY: Sykes-Kenworthy, Fallowfield, McLaughlin, Davies, Akinyemi, Howe ©, Barnes (46’ Amos (55’ Allen)), Batty, Chadwick, Woodyard, Smith.
UNUSED SUB: Duckworth, John-Lewis, Hunt.
AFC FYLDE: Richardson, Davis ©, Houghton (79’ Whitehead), Westley (58’ Hunter), Graham, Barratt (66’ Hosannah), Ustabasi, Conway, Adshead, Ormerod, Mitchell.
UNUSED SUBS: Long, Walker.
ATTENDANCE: 4,433 (93 AFC Fylde supporters)
WAITROSE MAN OF THE MATCH: Will Smith