York slipped to defeat in arguably their most important game of the season to date, against a well organised Leeds side, which put any York sloppiness to the sword.
Leeds started the game brightly, and York keeper Harriman was called into action in the first minutes to deny Leeds an early lead. The visitors continued to make the early running, and piled on the pressure on York, who were forced back and to dig deep defensively.
A York breakaway led to a short corner, and despite the initial stop being poor, the ball broke to captain Henry Meller whose reverse shot flew wide of the post.
Gradually York managed to get a stranglehold back on the game, but as things were looking up, the home side were met by a meteoric blow as Leeds scored a quickfire double.
Firstly a short corner was powerfully drag-flicked into the top left corner of the York net with Harriman standing no chance. Only minutes afterwards, sloppy York defending allowed Leeds in again, and despite an initial block, the rebound was slid home to double the visitors’ advantage.
Leeds continued to pile on the pressure, and a breakaway attack led to the award of another short corner. This time the initial drag flick was well blocked on the line by a York stick, but the rebound was placed home, to give Leeds a commanding 3-0 lead.
York tried to respond, but were unable to work the Leeds keeper, with dangerous crosses by Hugo Christie and Laurie Torrington posing the greatest threat. At the other end, defender Matthew Foakes made a crucial intervention to deny Leeds furthering their lead.
At half time Leeds led 3-0 and York had a mountain to climb.
York continued the second half in sloppy fashion, not helping themselves with a series of misplaced passes, cheaply gifting possession to the opposition. Gradually though York started to improve in the second half, and a mazy Meller run was only stopped by last ditch Leeds defending.
Meanwhile excellent movement by Kris Siva caused problems for the Leeds backline. Ten minutes into the half York had a goal disallowed for a high stick, after excellent work by forward Leo Watton. Minutes later, however, York did get their goal through a calm Jammy Wilson finish, bringing them back into the game.
Leeds however had a great opportunity to bounce back, but the chance was fluffed at the back post.
York then won a short corner, after clever work by Meller and Watton down the right. The resulting chance was drag flicked on target by Torrington, drawing a testing save from the visitors’ keeper.
At the other end York were indebted to a piece of excellent defending by Hugo Christie, but minutes later the York defender turned villain as he was yellow carded for a clumsy challenge on the far sideline.
York tried to press to get another goal back and nearly did through Torrington, after he deflected Watton’s ball goal-wards. Yet once more he was denied by the Leeds keeper, who was having a very solid game.
Leeds more or less settled the contest, when a short corner was initially stopped by Harriman, but the rebound was converted from a narrow angle, extending the visitors’ advantage.
York responded immediately, with Christie finishing from a short corner, after Siva had won a short corner. York continued to throw men forward, but found themselves exposed at the back, and with only minutes remaining Leeds scored a fifth, after they’d stretched the York backline.
Watton managed to pull a consolation back for York, rounding the keeper and sliding home, but the result was not in doubt, as York fell to a disappointing defeat.
On a more positive note the Men’s 2nd XI recorded a comfortable 5-1 victory over a depleted Newcastle side. Phil Blackburn scored the pick of the goals with a first half screamer into the top corner, but at half time the scores were level at 1-1. Nevertheless in the second half York’s dominance showed and goals from Jambo Talbot, James Lewis, Joe Hubbard and Harry Bercis secured the points for the home side.