A YORK City reserve team, featuring ten players in the starting XI with first-team experience, went down 1-0 at home to Rotherham in the Central League.

Youth-team defender Josh Rogerson was the only City player without a senior appearance to his name on duty at the club’s Wigginton Road training ground, with teenage sub Alex Bruton having also featured in the National League this season.

Missed chances cost the hosts, though, as Rotherham defender Fabian Bailey grabbed the game’s only goal in the second half.

City’s lined up in a 3-5-2 system that mirrored Bootham Crescent chief Gary Mills’ current favoured formation, although a number of players filled unfamiliar roles with midfielders Tyler Walton and Luke Woodland in the back three.

Striker Scott Fenwick was also employed in midfield with attackers Daniel Nti and Callum Rzonca operating as wing-backs.

The Championship visitors, meanwhile, included four players with senior experience.

Ex-Rangers centre-back Kirk Broadfoot completed 45 minutes on his return from injury having been sidelined since August, whilst on-loan Brighton midfielder Jake Forster-Caskey – the son of City football consultant Darren – was given an hour, as was Tunisian defender Aimen Belaid

Midfielder Mason Warren, with one Capital One Cup outing to his name, featured for the duration.

City made the early running on a foggy afternoon with Jake Charles forcing a near-post save and Fenwick lofting a 15-yard shot over before sending in a left-wing cross that saw Aidan Connolly sidefoot wide from seven yards.

At the other end, Jerry Yates raced on to a Reece McGinley through ball, but Luke Simpson was quick out of goal to deny him.

Kuda Muskwe’s header, meanwhile, lacked the power to trouble Simpson.

Striker Robbie McDaid then saw an edge-of-the-box effort comfortably gathered by Laurence Bilboe, before Yates shot wide from 15 yards after Rzonca had lost possession.

On the stroke of half-time, McDaid latched on to a long ball out of defence and outstripped Broadfoot for pace but dragged his 20-yard attempt across the face of goal.

After the break, Muskwe went close twice to breaking the deadlock – seeing a close-range attempt deflected wide before forcing Simpson into a flying save from ten yards.

Connolly, meanwhile, drilled over from 20 yards before Charles had two great opportunities in quick succession to put the hosts in front.

First, he curled high and wide after being played through on goal by Fenwick and, then, his downward header bounced off target from seven yards with the goal at his mercy following Rzonca’s left-wing cross.

Moments later, Warren’s curling 74th-minute free kick hit the underside of City’s bar and Bailey pounced from a couple of yards to force in the rebound.

Further City chances went begging, though, with Woodland heading over from Nti’s right-wing free kick and, after Rzonca fired wide from 25 yards, McDaid snatched at an 82nd-minute opportunity having been released through on goal by Bruton, following the latter’s positive forward burst.

Rotherham might have extended their lead with Yates, McGinley and Muskwe going close late on, while the last shot of the afternoon saw Woodland call Bilboe into action from 20 yards.

City: Simpson; Walton, Woodland, Rogerson; Nti, Dixon, Fenwick, Connolly (Bruton, 76), Rzonca; Charles, McDaid.