Photo by Tom Poole
City climbed back to the top of the Vanarama National League tree, just in time for Christmas, with a convincing 3-0 victory over Southend United.
All three goals came from corners in the second half. Dipo Akinyemi opened the scoring shortly after coming onto the field, smashing home after a header had hit the bar.
Callum Howe got his first of the season, nodding into the back of the net moments later, before David Ajiboye sealed the win, diverting home Malachi Fagan-Walcott’s initial header from the corner.
Adam Hinshelwood named an unchanged Minstermen starting eleven, with the only alteration coming on the bench, where Lenell John-Lewis returned in place of Billy Chadwick.
City started off with a half-chance inside four minutes, as a defensive switch-off from the visitors allowed Ollie Pearce to break free down the right. With Tyrese Sinclair an unmarked option in the middle, the striker squared it, but Sinclair’s first touch was heavy, and the ball was eventually cleared.
Almost a replica of the opportunity emerged not long after, this time Joe Felix on the wing, and looking for Pearce in the area, but on this occasion, Collin Andeng Ndi was there first to smother.
Felix was back on the ball less than a minute later, winning it back with an excellent tackle and darting down the right before playing a cross into the arms of the ‘keeper.
The momentum continued to stay with the Minstermen as they pushed for the opener – Pearce tried an adventurous lob from a difficult angle which was well off the target.
Southend had their first real chance of the game in the 19th minute when a free kick was lifted towards the back post for Adam Crowther to head goalbound, but Pearce was there to drag it away from the line.
Still trying for that first goal, the ball was up the other end of the pitch within a minute, and with Sinclair who was practically through on goal. He dummied and sat down a defender and the goalkeeper, but somehow couldn’t find the back of the net, lifting it over the bar.
The number seven was unlucky with his next chance as well, heading a Batty cross at goal, only to see it nodded off the line.
The interval was reached with no goals for either side, but with York clearly on top.
The trend continued, with Ashley Nathaniel-George setting up Sinclair just inside the area for him to shoot on the turn, forcing Andeng Ndi to get down low and claim.
Blues did get a couple of chances though – firstly in the 54th minute, Josh Walker had gone on a great run down the side, before cutting back to Gus Scott-Morriss who managed to divert over the goalframe.
Nathaniel-George had a shot sting the palms of the ‘keeper shortly after, prior to Southend’s next opportunity on 61 minutes. The ball fell to Jack Bridge at the far stick, who smashed it towards the target, only to be denied by the strong hand of Harrison Male.
The opener finally came in the 64th minute, and it came from Dipo Akinyemi, who had only been on the pitch for two minutes before he struck home.
It was Dan Batty’s corner that found Callum Howe who headed it onto the bar, but the ball kindly fell to the newly-introduced substitute, who smashed home through a crowd of bodies.
Just four minutes later, City had a second – Batty whipped in another corner from the right, once more picking out captain Howe, and on this occasion his initial header found the back of the net, squeezing in between the post and the ‘keeper.
Adam Hinshelwood made a second change with 18 minutes to play, bringing David Ajiboye on, and just like his previous substitution, it paid off rapidly.
It took just four minutes for Batty to swing in a third corner which resulted in a goal. Malachi Fagan-Walcott latched onto the end of this one, heading into the path of Ajiboye, who nodded home and put City out of sight in the game.
The Shrimpers came extremely close to grabbing one back inside the final ten, but substitute Charley Kendall could only poke it the wrong side of the post.
It could have been four for the Minstermen, had Marvin Armstrong’s 89th-minute goal not been flagged offside.
But ultimately, this game was all about the set-pieces, and City converted three, that were almost replicas of each other.
YORK CITY: Male, Howe (C), Sinclair (62’ Akinyemi), Hunt, Pearce (85’ John-Lewis), Nathaniel-George (72′ Ajiboye), Armstrong (90’ Thomas), Batty (85’ King), Aguiar, Felix, Fagan-Walcott.
UNUSED SUBS: Fallowfield, Watson.
SOUTHEND UNITED: Andeng-Ndi, Scott-Morriss, Taylor, Crowther (70’ Gubbins), Ralph (C), Coker (81’ Appiah-Forson), Morton (66’ Husin), Miley, Bridge, Pepple (65’ Bonne), Walker (81’ Kendall).
UNUSED SUBS: Wind, Moncur.
DUTCH BARN ORCHARD VODKA MAN OF THE MATCH, CHOSEN BY RYEDALE JOINERY: Callum Howe.
ATTENDANCE: 6,446 (626 Southend supporters)
