Image by Tom Poole
York City won 2-1 against Braintree Town in the Vanarama National League at the LNER Community Stadium on Tuesday night.
Goals from Ricky Aguiar and Ashley Nathaniel-George gave City a third successive league victory.
Adam Hinshelwood made four changes to the side which turned out 2-0 winners away to Wealdstone on Saturday.
Harrison Male, Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Ricky Aguiar and Billy Chadwick all come into team, replacing Rory Watson, Tyrese Sinclair, Alex Hunt and the injured Darragh O’Connor.
In the opening minutes of the game, three consecutive long throws inside the same number of minutes from George Langton concluded in Braintree converting through a Frankie Terry header.
Ricky Aguiar got City level in the 18th minute with a sweetly struck volley, arrowing it into the ground before it bounced up and in at the far post.
Ollie Pearce has clear sight of goal to double it up four minutes later. The City forward did well to control with his left foot and open space for his right, but went on to slice his shot from close range.
A tough game played out at the LNER Community Stadium for York as Braintree dug in deep to try and frustrate York, whilst also hit Hinshelwood’s side on the counter.
Chay Cooper looked to do just that in the 29th minute, storming through on goal after a through ball down the right flank, but Malachi Fagan-Walcott was over to block his shot with a sliding challenge.
Ashley Nathaniel-George poked City into a lead on the 42nd minute. Pearce’s curling cross in front of goal allowed the winger to race in front of his man and score his second in as many games.
Aguiar pulled out a strong save from Braintree goalkeeper Lucus Covolan when the midfielder hit hard at the shot-stoppers top left-hand near post from the edge of the area.
It took York until the 59th minute of the second half to carve an opening. Ryan Fallowfield’s gallop down the right ,after chasing Dan Batty’s ball, concluded in forward Billy Chadwick lashing a shot wide from close range.
Pearce had a shot deflected into the path of Covolan in the 68th minute, however the deflection took the power out the effort.
Braintree substitute Callum Powell stung Male with a powerful effort in the 77th minute after the forward picked up on a through ball down the right. He went again three minutes later, dropping a header wide of the mark.
Fallowfield again slid an accurate cross to the middle from the right in the 83rd minute, this time midfielder Marvin Armstrong blazed over the bar.
Braintree began knocking on the door more as the conclusion beckoned, with Langston hitting hard over the bar in the 84th minute,
Pearce went down the other end a minute later, winning City a corner, after good work down the left allowed the forward to shoot at goal.
Tyrese Sinclair raced through in the 90+4th minute, looking to put the game to bed, but paused his run before bending a routine shot to save at goal.
The Minstermen are next in action again on Saturday at home to AFC Fylde (3pm kick off). Tickets are on sale now via our Matchday Tickets page.
YORK CITY; Male, Fallowfield, Howe (C), Pearce, Nathaniel-George (66′ Sinclair), Armstrong, Batty, Chadwick (66′ John-Lewis), Aguiar (66′ Hunt), Felix, Fagan-Walcott.
UNUSED SUBS: Watson, McLaughlin, Harriott.
BRAINTREE: Covolan, Langston (C), Annesley, Vennings, Blackwell (60′ Powell), Marshall-Miranda (75′ Robinson), Cooper (75′ Ward), Fyfield, Akinde (61′ Effiong), Terry, Lisbie (83′ Lock).
ATTENDANCE: 4,494 (41 Braintree supporters)
DUTCH BARN ORCHARD VODKA MAN OF THE MATCH: Dan Batty