York City defeat Maidenhead United 6-2 to go back top

A rampant display in the first-half from York saw Hinshelwood’s side cruise to a comfortable victory over Maidenhead, providing the perfect response to City’s midweek 3-0 defeat to Altrincham, with the Reds moving back to the top of the National League as a result.

Ollie Pearce became the National League’s outright top scorer after scoring twice, his first of which a well-worked header from Joe Felix’s cross.

After Pearce was then fouled inside the area, he dispatched his own penalty with a venomous low strike.

Tyrese Sinclair was back in the line-up and back on the scoresheet with a cheeky lobbed strike that was dinked over Maidenhead goalkeeper Craig Ross, before Ashley Nathaniel-George curled a superb strike into the far corner.

Maidenhead drew one before half-time with an admittedly impressive header from Shawn McCoulskey, before their chances were made all the harder early in the second-half, after Alan Massey was shown a red card.

It was the Magpies however that would have the next opportunity, after a foul from Joe Felix forced the referee to point to the spot for the second time in the match. Sam Barratt converted.

But with worries of a potential comeback draining with the clock running down, Adam Crookes scored his first for the season with a clinical strike.

And with time running out, it was six for York, as Luca Thomas bundled an effort home from Dipo Akinyemi’s cross.

A dramatic match with eight goals, two penalties and one red card means the Minstermen are now back at the top of the National League table, after Barnet drew 0-0 with Hartlepool united, and Forest Green Rovers were not in action.

City had been hoping for a response to their midweek 3-0 defeat at the hands of Altrincham, having suffered their second defeat in three matches.

Their opponents were a resilient Maidenhead side that had entered their seventh season at this level, with the experienced West Ham United legend Alan Devonshire in the dugout.

Maidenhead had discovered a newfound confidence pre-match too, following a 3-1 win over Braintree Town in midweek, which broke a run of nine matches without a win in all competitions.

Their poor form had seen United slip to 21st position in the National League, becoming an early occupier of the relegation zone.

Hinshelwood had made it clear pre-match that was eager for a response from his side against a part-time Maidenhead side, and opted to make five changes against the Magpies.

Harrison Male returned between the sticks in place of Rory Watson, whilst Crookes was also reintegrated into the starting eleven when replacing Ryan Fallowfield.

Dan Batty was back at the heart of the midfield, with Marvin Armstrong also selected again. Tyrese Sinclair completed the changes for York, with Ricky Aguiar, Luca Thomas and David Ajiboye all dropping to the bench.

Maidenhead had uncovered a winning formula in midweek against now-managerless Braintree, but despite hopes of remaining unchanged, had to make one switch due to a City agreement with their opponents.

Thierry Latty-Fairweather, who has been a regular with Maidenhead during his loan from City, was ineligible to play against his parent club.

As a result, Tyrese Dyce was his replacement in the starting eleven.

LIVE BLOG: York City vs Maidenhead United

If Hinshelwood had been disappointed in the first-half of York’s match at Altrincham in midweek, he could have no complaints about the efforts of his player from this opening 45.

With York shooting towards the new look Persimmon South Stand, those fans were treated with a rampant performance from the Minstermen.

Early chances fell to Sinclair and Joe Felix, with both City players failing to hit the target. There was almost a moment of magic from Alex Hunt, as Batty laid the ball back to his midfield partner, whose looping strike from 30-yards fell onto the roof of the net.

But with 16 minutes played, normality returned as Pearce opened his account for the afternoon.

A well-worked move allowed Felix the space to identify Pearce in the area, whose diving header nestled into Craig Ross’ bottom left corner.

Malachi Fagan-Walcott was forced into some strong defending after Tristan Abrahams had almost found himself one-on-one, before a header from Sinclair was impressively parried wide by Ross.

From the resulting corner, Batty’s low delivery to the front post and towards Pearce saw the City striker upended in the area, with the referee pointing to the spot.

There was no mistake from York’s number 10, whose rocketed strike found the bottom left corner again.

Just three minutes later, the Minstermen’s clinical nature in front of goal proved important again, as Sinclair added to the scoreline with what was arguably the best finish of the day.

After expertly bringing down a long ball forward and racing through one-on-one, a delicate dink lobbed Ross before rolling over the line.

Another four minutes later, and it was incredible 4-0 to York.

Nathaniel-George, starring against a Maidenhead side that he left for City in the Summer, eased his way past Sam Barratt’s challenge before curling a well-struck effort into the far corner of Ross’ goal.

Ollie Pearce celebrates another two goals for York City. (Image: Adam Davy) Maidenhead did find a route back into the match with their only shot of the first-half, as McCoulsky found himself unmarked in the area, powering a low header past Male.

Perhaps because of their controlling lead at the end of the first-half, City did slightly lose their energy in an attacking aspect.

Maidenhead’s afternoon was made all the worse in the second 45, as Pearce raced onto Batty’s long pass, only to be pulled down by Maidenhead’s last man.

After an initial yellow card was shown to Will De Havilland, the referee approached his linesman for a discussion, before returning and instead showing a second yellow card to Massey.

Despite Maidenhead’s disbelief at the decision, the visitors’ captain as given his marching orders, with the Magpies being forced to play the remainder of the match with ten men.

York did not profit from the man advantage initially, with Maidenhead remaining well within the fixture despite the scoreline.

A clumsy foul from Felix forced the referee to point to the spot in the favour of Maidenhead on this occasion, with the visitors having the opportunity to halve the deficit.

Barratt stepped up and made no mistake from 12-yards, converting and sending Male the wrong way.

Hinshelwood responded to the lack of tempo from his side with a triple change, which had an immediate positive effect.

Batty had a strike deflected wide, before Crookes saw his header tipped over by Ross from close-range.

But it was surely game over on 71 minutes, as Crookes was rewarded for an impressive performance.

Fagan-Walcott’s header dropped into the path of the left-back, who neatly tucked the ball into the corner, beating Ross and registering York’s fifth.

Thomas was introduced as a substitute with less than ten minutes remaining and got onto the scoresheet himself.

The Leeds United loanee raced onto Dipo Akinyemi’s low cross, bundling the ball over the line from close-range.

City had already scored six, but remained intent on adding to their goal difference after a foul caused the referee to award a free-kick in a dangerous position. Pearce stepped up, in search of his hat-trick, but his shot fell inches wide of the target.

YORK CITY: MALE 6, FELIX 7 (KING, 74), FAGAN-WALCOTT 8, HOWE 7, CROOKES 9, BATTY 8, HUNT 8 (AGUIAR 6, 68), ARMSTRONG 7 (THOMAS 7, 82), SINCLAIR 8 (AKINYEMI 7, 68), PEARCE 8, NATHANIEL-GEORGE 7 (AJIBOYE 6, 68)

SUBS NOT USED: WATSON, FALLOWFIELD

GOALS: PEARCE (16, 25), SINCLAIR (28), NATHANIEL-GEORGE (32), CROOKES (72), THOMAS (84)

MAIDENHEAD UNITED: ROSS, COCHRANE, DE HAVILLAND, MASSEY, DYCE, PETIT, FERGUSON, BARRATT (AJOSE, 75), SMITH, MCCOULSKY, ABRAHAMS (BELL, 52)

SUBS NOT USED: COLLINS, KEETCH, DAVIES, CARVALHO, DUNDAS

GOALS: MCCOULSKY (37), BARRATT (67)

YELLOW CARDS: SMITH (24), MASSEY (34)

RED CARDS: MASSEY (49)

YORK’S STAR MAN: ADAM CROOKES. A fantastic return to the side, topped off with a goal. Did not put a foot wrong all match.

REFEREE: STEVEN COPELAND

ATTENDANCE: 5442 (56)

SHOTS (ON TARGET): 17 (9) | 2 (2)

CORNERS: 6 | 1

FOULS: 9 | 10

OFFSIDES: 0 | 1