Penalty glory for City as York advance in the FA Trophy

David Webb’s side were facing Vanarama National League south side Chelmsford, who currently occupy the play-offs in 4th position.

City had defeated a Vanarama National League North side in the round prior, defeating Blyth Spartans 5-0, and were coming off of the back of an instrumental 4-1 victory over Maidstone United in league duties.

Shaq Forde was the hero last Saturday and retained his position in the side, despite manager Webb making six changes to the side. Olly Dyson and Michael Duckworth were both handed starts after missing the Maidstone match through illness, whilst Alex Whittle, Sam Sanders and Manny Duku were all handed starts in a rotated York side.

Dyson has proven to be a crucial player for York this season and has worked with Webb in the past in their time together in Huddersfield Town’s academy, so it’s no surprise to see the hard-working midfielder flourishing.

A lovely switched ball from Nathan Thomas to find Alex Hurst allowed the former Port Vale winger to provide a teasing cross to the back post, where Dyson smuggled the ball past Chelmsford debutant Eddie Beach.

Chelmsford equalised not long later through Eduino Vaz, as the attacking full-back unleashed a brilliant finish into the far post, catching stand-in captain Ethan Ross by surprise, even if there did appear to be a hint of luck about it.

The game would eventually go to penalties, but York maintained a perfect record, with Ross saving from Simeon Jackson and the Minstermen winning 5-4.

York started off the better team in the first half, with Dan Pybus and Nathan Thomas seeing dangerous crosses frantically cleared out by the Chelmsford defence.

Harry Lodovica would prove to be a mountain of a man and a challenge for Fraser Kerr to contain, with the striker rushing onto a long pass from Vaz but scuffing his strike wide of Ross’ far post.

Callum Jones would be partnering Lodovica up front as two towering forwards for York to handle, and it would be the latter to set Jones up before his shot through a crowd of bodies rolled wide of the target.

The biggest chance of the match so far would fall to Manny Duku, as an irresistible outside-of-the-foot though ball split the Chelmsford defence and played Duku in behind, but a strong stop from Beech delayed the opener.

It wouldn’t be delayed for very long however, as eight minutes later, City lead.

An attack spearheaded by Thomas saw the winger provide a fantastic switching ball into Hurst with plenty of space on the wing, who curled a teasing ball into the back post and onto the head of Dyson, squeezing the ball past the outstretched Beach and propelling York into the lead.

But eight minutes after the breakthrough for York, Chelmsford equalised with something out of nothing.

With Vaz applying pressure on Duckworth with some tricky footwork, the defender had pushed forward and cut inside of Duckworth before unleashing an outstanding strike into the far top corner, to the bafflement of Ross.

Forde was looking to prove as impactful in this game as he has been against Maidstone and Gateshead in recent weeks, as the striker avoided a crunching tackle from Dave Winfield and played a lovely one-two with Pybus, but a good stop denied York from snatching back their lead.

Heading into the second half, Webb made two changes at the interval with Adam Crookes and Mitch Hancox replacing both Sam Sanders and Whittle, who had been down for treatment in the first half.

Both substitutes made an immediate impact, as Crookes pushed forward with a mazy run before playing the ball back into the path of Hancox, whose strike cannoned against the crossbar.

Hurst came close just minutes later for York, as a good cross from Hancox fell to the feet of Duku, and his lay off allowed a venomous strike from Hurst to be heroically blocked, despite handball claims from the York supporters.

Vaz looked to be Chelmsford’s most likely solution to a winner despite playing in left-back, as his free-kick from distance almost caught Ross out, but fell wide of the target.

It was end-to-end stuff at the LNER Community Stadium, as a free-kick for the Minstermen was cleared into the path of Forde and his powerful shot was deflected onto the crossbar and out for a corner. The resulting corner was met by the head of Kerr, but floated into the stand.

Forde was once again proving dangerous for City, as he cut inside of two Chelmsford defenders and saw a curling strike evade the target.

Thomas would follow suit, doing almost the exact same a minute later except his strike was wide at the near post.

Chelmsford were soaking up the York pressure and firing counter-attacks at the City defence, and nearly clinched their second goal as Jones fired a teasing cross-shot across goal, but no touch could be found from a Chelmsford man and Ross calmly watched his effort trickle wide.

Duku would be kicking himself with two minute to go, as a brilliant cross again from Hancox was perfectly placed onto the head of Duku, but with the goal gaping the striker couldn’t convert from close-range.

But with nothing to separate the two sides, it went to a penalty shootout at the LNER Community Stadium.

York remained confident, and comfortably disposed everyone of their penalties. Dyson, Hurst, Thomas, Pybus and Hancox all netted for City, whilst Ross made a fantastic stop to deny Jackson from scoring an over-confident penalty.

York City: Ross 8; Duckworth 7, Kerr 7, Sanders 6 (Crookes 7, 45), Whittle 6 (Hancox 8, 45); Dyson 9, Pybus 7, Hurst 8; Thomas 7, Duku 6 (Tanner, 89), Forde 7

Subs not used: Fallowfield, McLaughlin, Burgess, Bulmer

Goals: Dyson (28)

Yellow cards: Dyson (45)

Chelmsford City: Beach; James, Winfield, Terry, Vaz (Yearn); Trotter, Ochieng; Grant (Jackson, 82), Jones, Lodovica (Yila), Blackwell

Subs not used: Marsden, Barnum-Bobb, Da Costa, Hockey

Goals: Vaz (36)

Yellow cards: Ochieng (38)

York’s star man: Olly Dyson. A brilliant return for the hard-working midfielder who constantly applied pressure on Chelmsford, never shied away from a challenge and topped off the day with a composed goal. Oh, and the winning penalty too.

Referee: Michael Barlow

Attendance: 2345 (233 away)

Shots (on target): 6 (7) | 4 (1)

Corners: 5 | 6

Offsides: 2 | 1

Fouls committed: 6 | 7