York failed to stop the rot in their clash against Sunderland, despite adopting a 3-5-2 formation that has become increasingly popular with struggling sides in college and BUCS football since Dalglish’s Liverpool revival.
Early impressions were positive. Ash Daly, was putting his futsal experience to good use; dictating play in midfield. However, Sunderland were the team creating the chances and their goblin-like Czech number 9 broke the deadlock, jinking past two defenders and goalkeeper Toby Owen. Sunderland then had a player booked for kicking the ball away and Daly saw his curling free-kick saved. A very impressive save from Owen followed when a sleek passing move presented Sunderland with a chance in the penalty area, but York were caught off-guard by the resulting corner. Nobody picked up “the goblin”, who collected from the taker and swung a cross in, which was converted following a spill from Owen.
A shaken York were nervous and error-prone for the rest of the half; even Daly and Day became sloppy in possession.
At the beginning of the second half, York looked stronger. Richard Baxter headed over from a Day cross, Daly sliced a shot wide from the edge of the box and Nav Jabarkhyl flicked a half-chance wide. It seemed, surely, that it was York’s turn, but Sunderland came back on the offensive, a goal-line intervention from Sam Mellor keeping York within touch.
The game was put beyond their reach when “the goblin” scored with a stooping header. James Offord scored from a Daly cross, but the tie was killed off by Sunderland with the last kick.