Superb York City hammer the ten-men of AFC Fylde 3-0

A cagey first-half burst into action after a nasty challenge from Harry Davis saw the Fylde centre-back shown a straight red card, meaning that the Coasters would have to play the entire second-half a man short.

Adam Hinshelwood’s side took full advantage of Fylde’s fragilities, taking the lead on 50 minutes when some sloppy defending from the visitors allowed Marvin Armstrong to pounce, slamming home for his second of the season.

Lenell John-Lewis was a doubt for this fixture after suffering an ankle injury on Tuesday night, but recovered to appear from the bench, becoming the club’s leading scorer with when slotting Dipo Akinyemi’s pass home.

The match was wrapped up through another substitute, in the form of Callum Harriott, who bagged his second for the club with a cool finish in stoppage time. 

A late equaliser from Wealdstone against Forest Green Rovers meant that York moved to the top of the National League!

Fylde headed into the contest desperate for some confidence, having initially started their season in the perfect fashion, after a Nick Haughton hat-trick meant that the Coasters were able to defeat Solihull Moors 3-2 on the opening day.

However, since that win, Fylde have failed to register another victory since, losing four of their last six and sinking to 22nd position in the National League.

York and Fylde shared history prior to this fixture, with the Coasters being the first ever visitors to the LNER Community Stadium in February 2021.

That match ended in a 3-1 defeat, with Fylde fourth visit to City’s new stadium this afternoon meaning that no side had been here more than Chris Beech’s team.

Along with that, no visiting team had scored more goals than Fylde at the LNER Community Stadium since the Minstermen first moved in over three years ago, with seven netted.

Hinshelwood sprung a surprise in his York eleven, with Dan Batty not being named in the squad and missing out on minutes for the first time this season due to a back spasm.

Billy Chadwick dropped to the bench, whilst Alex Hunt and Tyrese Sinclair were brought into the starting eleven.

Akinyemi returned to the bench after missing City’s last two matches, whilst John-Lewis recovered from an ankle injury to be named amongst the substitutes.

Fylde also named something of a surprise themselves, by making no changes despite a midweek 3-0 loss to Forest Green Rovers.

Dangerman Nick Haughton started on the wing, with Chris Beech lining his side up in a 5-2-3 formation.

York started the contest on the front foot with a long pass from Harrison Male being brought down by Ryan Fallowfield, whose low cross was met by Ashey Nathaniel-George in the area, only to ricochet into the arms of Ben Winterbottom.

Bryce Hosannah soon had a strike float harmlessly wide of the target, before City, back on the attack, came closest when Ricky Aguiar cross was glanced narrowly wide by Malachi Fagan-Walcott.

York City celebrate their opener in their 3-0 win over AFC Fylde. (Image: Tom Poole)

Male was called into action for the first time to smother a low strike from Haughton, before Sinclair powered an effort over the bar.

York had another scare as Haughton was allowed space on the left, with his low cross trickling towards Offrande Zanzala, before Joe Felix produced a crucial touch to avert the danger.

There was controversy as a long pass from Hunt saw Nathaniel-George track down the loose ball, only to be dragged by Hosannah, who was the last man on the pitch.

Despite shouts for a red card, the referee opted to only dish out a yellow on this occasion.

City showed off some of their training ground strategies from set-pieces, as a well-worked free-kick allowed Hunt to chip a ball towards Fallowfield, who couldn’t connect at the back post with the goal at his mercy.

Haughton had another effort thwarted by Male, before Fylde were struck with a heavy blow with half-time approaching.

A nasty challenge on Armstrong from Davis saw the defender shown a straight red card by referee Thomas Parsons, with the visitors reduced to ten men.

Both sides heading into the half-time break in two different mindsets; one to attack, and the other to defend.

York started the second 45 with a fresh energy, and quickly put themselves in front.

Some brilliant persistence from Pearce ended with the striker lifting the ball into the area and causing issues for Adam Long, whose failure to deal with the ball allowed Armstrong to pounce, slamming home from within the six-yard area.

Fylde looked to respond through substitute Charlie Jolley, who couldn’t hit the target from close-range.

Hinshelwood had previously spoke on his wish to kill matches off and add further breathing room, and he would have been pleased by the impact of his substitutes again.

A fantastic switch of play from Aguiar allowed Akinyemi to race into space on the left-wing, before cutting the ball back to John-Lewis.

AFC Fylde's Harry Davis was shown red. (Image: Tom Poole)

‘The Shop’ made no mistake in slotting home, adding his fourth of the campaign.

The goal scoring for the day would be wrapped up in quite poetic fashion, as Harriott was rewarded for his long tenure on the sidelines with his first of the season. 

A well-worked move from City saw the winger race through one-on-one with Winterbottom, before sliding an effort coolly past the Fylde shot-stopper.

Another impressive display from York sees Hinshelwood’s side move to the top of the National League by two points.

YORK CITY: MALE 7, FALLOWFIELD 7, HOWE 8, FAGAN-WALCOTT 9, FELIX 9, HUNT 8, AGUIAR 7 (MCLAUGHLIN, 81), ARMSTRONG 8 (HARRIOTT 7, 61), SINCLAIR 6 (AKINYEMI 7, 61), PEARCE 7 (CHADWICK 6, 77), NATHANIEL-GEORGE 6 (JOHN-LEWIS 7, 61)

SUBS NOT USED: WATSON, JOHN

GOALS: ARMSTRONG (50), JOHN-LEWIS (70), HARRIOTT (90)

YELLOW CARDS: PEARCE (22), FAGAN-WALCOTT (65), FALLOWFIELD (85)

AFC FYLDE: WINTERBOTTOM, RILEY (JOLLEY, 62), HOSANNAH, LONG, DAVIS, MASSEY, WHELAN, MITCHELL, USTABASI (BRENNAN, 77), ZANZALA (O’KANE, 44), HAUGHTON (ORMEROD, 62)

SUBS NOT USED: RICHARDSON, GAMBLE, EVANS

YELLOW CARDS: HOSANNAH (22), USTABASI (38)

RED CARDS: DAVIS (42)

YORK’S STAR MAN: JOE FELIX. A captivating display from the full-back, who worked tirelessly and gave his all throughout the entire 90 minutes. Fagan-Walcott was superb too.

REFEREE: THOMAS PARSONS

ATTENDANCE: 5038 (103)

SHOTS (ON TARGET): 4 (3) | 3 (1)

CORNERS:  4 | 4

OFFSIDES: 3 | 1

FOULS COMMITTED: 9 | 13