ADAM HINSHELWOOD explained the decision to primarily play Dipo Akinyemi out wide after calls for the striker to lead the line.

Akinyemi started York’s Emirates FA Cup 3-1 victory as a central striker against Biggleswade FC, opening his account for the season after sweeping home Ollie Pearce’s pinpoint delivery into the box.

The attacker, who signed from Scotland in the Summer, was City’s leading talisman during the 2023/24 season, bagging 15 goals and 10 assists in 40 Vanarama National League appearances last season.

The addition of fellow striker Pearce in the Summer has seen Akinyemi shifted wide and onto the left-wing, with Hinshelwood keen to get the best out of the former, who registered an incredible 43 goals with Worthing last campaign.

Akinyemi has struggled to make an impact early in the season for York, struggling with injuries in parts and accumulating two assists in 10 appearances, facing something of a goal draught in the National League.

Hinshelwood responded to recent calls for Akinyemi to start centrally for the Minstermen, detailing that the attacker struggles with his hold up play compared to Pearce.

“It was the first time this season that we have played those two as a pair as such down the middle, and I thought that there were some makings of a good play,” Hinshelwood explained after York’s 3-1 victory over Biggleswade FC on Saturday.

“For anyone that asks why Dipo isn’t playing down the middle, I think that his hold up play will tell you why.

“It’s not good enough, [whilst] Ollie comes in and links up the play brilliantly, brings players into play whilst Dipo just doesn’t do that for us.

“That’s why we have to play him out wide, he’s then facing someone up with a one-to-one rather than with his back to play.

“There is so much of our game that we need to polish on and improve on, I don’t want anyone to think that we are getting carried away with that performance or how we have done this season.

“We are far from where we need to be.

“In games like today, if you aren’t holding it up and bringing others into play with the possession that we have had, you’ve got to have a look at ourselves.

“It’s definitely an area that we have got to improve on with Dips, and like I say, I think that we’re finding out about all of our players.

“When the game is tight, who has got that little bit of magic in a one-v-one?

“Who can find the pass when they are under a little bit of pressure?

“At the moment, everyone wants to come deep and get on the ball when there is no pressure on them, but ultimately later you are going to go into a line where there is pressure and who are going to be the ones that are receiving the ball under pressure and are finding the pass.”

York’s progression in the FA Cup sees Hinshelwood’s side reach the first round proper, with the draw taking place on Monday, October 14 at 7pm.

Hinshelwood has no preference on who he wants his City side to draw, not even Worthing, his former employers that he shares a special relationship with.

The boss commented: “We want to progress in the cup, but at the same time we want to test ourselves against good opposition.

“If either of those come out of the hat, we will be pleased.

“We’d like a nice big tie for the fans at home, one that the whole city can get excited about obviously.

“Ultimately, whatever the case is, we have got to perform better than we did today [Saturday].

“There is lots of history and good history with them [Worthing], there’s a few players that have played there.

“If that comes out, it will be a great game for the neutral, but it will be a real tough game.”