Port Vale Reserves continue their 100% league record with a late win at Bootham Crescent.
Vale Reserves deservedly overcame a resilient York team to maintain their 100% winning record in the League as Neil Aspin again reviewed the squad he has inherited.
This time the starting eleven contained Walford, Calveley and Dennis who were returning from loan spells. Evtimov got a chance to get to know some of his Vale colleagues better and was soon in action, getting down to save at his near post.
The first scoring opportunity came in the 12th minute as Walford was hustled by one of their trialists who made a run on goal possible, but Entimov came out to narrow the angle as he came in off the wing and the ball went wide of the far post.
Vale attacked with de Freitas down the left but his cross was behind the Vale forwards.
Vale almost scored in the 16th minute as Forrester’s shot from the edge of the area was pushed around the post for a corner. Forrester rose above the defence to head goalwards but it was stopped on the line and as he tried to force it home he felt the defender had used his hands to block it.
Vale took the lead in the 22nd minute as de Freitas forced his way down the left once more and this time pocked out Stobbswho smashed the ball home from the edge of the area.
Vale should have extended their lead in the 25th minute as from a Stobbs corner. Calveley rose above everyone to crash a header just the wrong side of the post.
Just after the half hour mark a cross from the home side was swinging away from goal and looking dangerous as an attacker was running in to meet it; Evtimov came racing out to claw it away from him but Vale failed to clear their lines and York failed to get a serious shot in, but the ball eventually rolled towards the far post where Morgan-Smith was able to poke the ball home from a couple of feet.
Vale were soon under pressure again and Walford blocked one shot before Evtimov saved well at his near post.
HALF-TIME: York City 1 - 1 Port Vale
Wilson replaced Dennis for the second half and Vale got off to a bright start as Reeves came down the right wing and found space to cross to the far post where Forrester sent a header goalwards that the ‘keeper saved with his legs before a defender cleared at the cost of a corner.
Yates now playing at centre-back was in action at the other end when partially blocking a shot that spun out for a corner.
Play was end-to-end and Turner worked a shooting opportunity but he was closed down by the ‘keeper and it went out for another corner. With 11 minutes gone in the second half, Turner again had a shooting chance and again the ‘keeper did well to deflect it around the post.
From the corner York broke quickly up the left and a hanging cross to the back post saw Grey likely to score with a header but Walford also jumped well and got the block in to deny the goal.
As the game entered the final 15 minutes Vale retook the lead as Stobbs put in a high cross into the box and Turner rose with the ‘keeper, who missed his punch, and he headed into an unguarded net.
Vale should have extended their lead almost immediately but, from a corner, Forrester headed wide.
With nineminutes left it was 3-1 as Stobbs again crossed, this time Turnerran between two defenders to place a delicate glancing header into the far corner of the net with the ‘keeper stranded.
Substitute Johnson saw a shot half-blocked and it looped up and into the ‘keeper’s hands as Vale kept the home team at bay to complete another victory.
FULL-TIME: York City 1 - 3 Port Vale
TEAMS
YORK CITY: Jon Worsnop, Daniel Rowe (Jake Watson 62), Trialist A, Jassem Sukar, Josh Rogerson, Theo Wharton, David Ferguson, Aaron Haswell, James Gray (Flynn McNaughton 62), Amari Morgan-Smith (Ryan Edmondson 62), Trialist B.
SUB NOT USED: Luke Simpson, Zac Lawrence.
PORT VALE: Dimi Entimov, Adam Yates (Max Beeston 68), Charlie Walford, Mike Calveley, Billy Reeves, Luke Dennis (Lawrie Wilson 46), Jack Stobbs, Harry Middleton, Anton Forrester (Kyle Johnson 83), Dan Turner, Anthony de Freitas.
SUB NOT USED: Mawgan Blight, Jack Wakefield.