The Shaymen began the match on the front foot, creating early chances and dominating possession, but York capitalised on defensive errors to take a 3-0 lead into halftime. Despite showing determination after the break and reducing the deficit through Josh Hmami, Halifax were unable to build sustained momentum. York responded almost immediately with a fourth goal, effectively ending any hopes of a comeback. Late pressure and multiple substitutions injected energy into the Shaymen’s performance, yet York’s organised defensive display ensured they comfortably saw out a 4-1 victory at the LNR Community Stadium.
The Shaymen got the game underway at the LNR Community Stadium and immediately adopted an attacking mindset, pushing as many players forward as possible in the opening exchanges. Their intent was clear from the outset, as they looked to put York City under early pressure.
An early corner provided the first opportunity of the match. The delivery was played to the edge of the box toward Turner-Cooke, who managed to get a shot away, but the midfielder failed to strike it cleanly. The ball was only cleared as far as Josh Hmami, who attempted to test the goalkeeper from distance, yet his effort drifted just over the crossbar.
York earned their first corner inside five minutes, but it was dealt with confidently by the Shaymen’s defence. Adam Adetoro rose to the occasion, clearing the danger before the Minstermen could trouble Sam Johnson in goal. Inside the first ten minutes, the Shaymen were the more dominant side, frequently attacking York’s penalty area and looking the likelier team to open the scoring.
Town nearly took the lead after 12 minutes when Hmami whipped in a dangerous corner toward Will Harris. The forward met it in the centre but could not make proper contact, allowing York goalkeeper Harrison Male to gather the ball safely.
York responded with a chance of their own shortly after. Alex Newby received the ball inside the Shaymen box and attempted to chip Johnson, who had been caught off his line. However, the Halifax goalkeeper reacted well, getting a touch to tip the ball over the bar. The resulting corner came to nothing.
The Minstermen took the lead in the 17th minute following a costly loss of possession in the Shaymen’s own half. Ollie Banks seized control of the ball and played a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Josh Stones, who narrowly beat Johnson to it and slotted home to make it 1-0 to York.
Despite falling behind, the Shaymen showed resilience and immediately pushed forward in search of an equaliser. York almost doubled their advantage when Newby embarked on a solo run, weaving past the Halifax midfield before unleashing a long-range strike. Johnson once again came to the rescue, tipping the effort over the bar. The subsequent corner failed to produce a second goal.
York did extend their lead in the 25th minute. Sustained pressure and neat one-touch football inside the Shaymen box saw the ball fall to Hunt, who drove a low shot past Johnson to make it 2-0 and give the visitors firm control of the first half.
The first booking of the game went to York’s Zak Johnson after he pulled the shirt of Will Hugill to halt a potential Halifax counterattack. The referee produced a yellow card for the infringement.
With ten minutes remaining in the half, the Shaymen began to look increasingly lacklustre. York capitalised again in the 40th minute. Defender Mark Kitching made a daring run into the Halifax half before threading a pass through to captain Ollie Pearce. Pearce struck the ball first time, smashing it past Johnson into the top left corner to give York a commanding 3-0 lead heading into the break.
At halftime, York made a change, bringing on Callum Howe in place of Zak Johnson.
The Minstermen kicked off the second half, but it was Halifax who created the first opportunity. A flowing move ended with Turner-Cooke shooting from outside the box, though his effort narrowly missed the target.
Despite the three-goal deficit, the Shaymen remained determined. Their persistence paid off in the 55th minute. AJ Warburton embarked on a powerful run from the halfway line before the ball reached Will Hugill, whose two attempts were blocked. The loose ball fell to Hmami, who rifled it into the roof of the net to reduce the deficit to 3-1.
Any hopes of a comeback were quickly dampened. Just two minutes later, a scramble in the Halifax box saw the ball fall to Banks, who beat Johnson to restore York’s three-goal cushion at 4-1.
York made further substitutions in the 61st minute, replacing Kitching with Ryan Fallowfield and Hiram Boateng with Dan Batty. Turner-Cooke later had another opportunity for Halifax, but his shot drifted just wide of the right post.
Additional changes followed in the 68th minute, with Pearce replaced by Joe Grey and Stones making way for Craig Hewitt. Adam Lakeland responded in the 72nd minute with a quintuple substitution, introducing Kawa, Morris, Mills, Bray and Jenkins in place of Hugill, Turner-Cooke, Harris, Hobson and Waters.
The fresh legs provided renewed energy, and the Shaymen immediately pressed the York box, yet they were unable to convert their pressure into goals.
Late bookings were shown to both sides. Cody Johnson received a yellow card in the 84th minute for a heavy challenge on Fallowfield, and a minute later, Alex Hunt was cautioned for fouling David Kawa.
Halifax continued to press in the closing stages, refusing to concede defeat mentally. However, York’s disciplined defensive structure held firm, ensuring the Minstermen saw out a comprehensive 4-1 victory.
York City
1 Male, 3 Kitching (2 Fallowfield 62), 8 hunt, 9 Stones (12 Grey 69), 10 Pearce ( 17Hewitt 69), 15 King, 20 Boateng (18 Batty 62), 27 Williams, 28 Banks, 29 Johnson (5 Howe 46), 30 Newby
Subs: 31 Sykes-Kenworthy, 14 Brookes
FC Halifax Town
1 Johnson ?, 3 Adetoro, 4 Hugill (28 Morris 74), 5 Hobson (16 Mills 74), 8 Hmami, 9 Harris (22 Kawa 74), 19 Warburton, 26 Waters (17 Bray 74), 27 Turner-Cooke (20 Jenkins 74), 30 Johnson, 36 Latty-Fairweather
Subs: 12 Ford, 33 Lavery
Referee: Alan Dale
Goals: Stones 18, Hunt 25, Pearce 40, Hmami 56, Banks 58
Yellow Cards Z Johnson 29, C Johnson 84, Hunt 86
Red Cards: None
Attendance: 7714 (850 away)
York City 4 FC Halifax Town 1
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