I'm home after an easy five mile drive back, although getting away from the ground wasn't easy. I know the area well because we go shopping there regularly but on a match day you get three lines of traffic funnelling into one lane out so I dread to think what it will be like when they get a bigger crowd in. It was my first visit to the LNER and I like the ground, even though it's in a kind of Lego bricks style. At least their scoreboard is a decent size though. The capacity is 8,500 and they do share the place with York Rugby League (I think it's League) so I imagine the pitch is not so great later in the season. Unlike Saturday we started with lead in our boots and got a proper runaround from inferior opposition. Ollie Banks took his goal very well but someone ought to have made a challenge before he got so near. I'm not going to criticise individuals but we really have to defend better or this season is going to be like the last. I found myself doing plenty of groaning and head shaking as passes went astray or players ran into brick walls. Cleary ought to have scored early on but maybe took one touch too many when almost through and Vimal had a clear header, much like Shepherd's on Saturday, but failed to find the target when he should have at least forced a save. There wasn't really much to say about the first half but things perked up after half time. Vickers had been the one shining light up to then and it was he who scored a very well worked goal. The movement from the half way line was very good and the new lad was through on goal in a flash, slotting in past the keeper in some style. I was sorry to see DKD go off because I wanted to see his link up play with DMcG again but that was to be expected because the squad has to be rotated at this time of the year. I thought we would go on to win it from there but a slick move down their right resulted in a good ball into our six yard box which was gobbled up by (I think) Ollie Pearce, their top scorer. I say "I think" because the quality of the PA was appalling where I was sitting close to the half way line. I could only pick out odd words so had very little idea who our subs were. I don't know the young lads by sight yet so could not name most of them. They all played alright though. Thankfully we got the deserved equaliser even though Adam Phillips looked like missing out. Another nice bit of movement, involving a lovely bit of work from DMcG, found him in the box with a good shot on target saved by the keeper. He very calmly picked it up again though and almost arrogantly put it into the net. That was about it though. I can't say I'm happy only drawing with York but, given their decent performance, it was not a bad result. They have some quick players and I can see them doing well again in their league. We will get better, I'm sure of it, and there's no doom and gloom coming from me. I'm glad I got to see them twice in a few days and have my ticket for the Burton match. I hope we get a decent result at Plymouth to set that up nicely. PS I forgot to mention the crowd number. I think I heard 2,157 with 752 away fans. Please correct me if I got that wrong because, as I said, the quality of the PA was poor.
The ball from McGoldrick for our second was out of this world. Enjoyable game. We were fortunate first half to be only one down. They beat our press with ease and had 3 on 3 against our defence time and time again. Better second half before we ran out of steam following multiple substitutions introducing a steady stream of kids.
Yes it was! He pulled the ball down brilliantly with his chest if I remember correctly and then, in one slick movement, turned and played a superb ball through for Phillips to run on to. That's twice I've seen him for us and I have to say he is worth the admission money on his own (supported by DKD, obviously). I hope he doesn't pick up an injury because he is going to be a star player for us this season.
Hmm, I'd like to say yes but I'm not sure how many matches I will be attending. I'm only really doing it for these last two games because of the lack of media coverage of the matches so I thought people might like some idea of how we played. I don't make notes so it's all from memory, so I am bound to miss bits
This is a local game for us too, I was tempted to park in Sainsbury’s as they allow 3 hours but chickened out. Only a friendly I guess but there were some signs that for me carried over from Saturday. I said on the 433 thread that I would re-evaluate Bland, after I said I didn’t think he was not yet good enough to be a regular starter. I’ve not changed my mind at all. Although that is possibly the most lightweight midfield I’ve ever seen start for Barnsley. Oli Banks old manned Bland and gave him a lesson in how to run a midfield. Against a tidy York side he was well below the required standard sadly. I think he needs a loan in league 2 to toughen him up a bit. But that won’t happen because we are short in midfield anyway. Vickers is quality, always wanting the ball, the brief spell where he switched to the left with Ogbeta showed some promise. DKD had a stinker tonight, nothing went for him but I think this is proof that we are still a proper centre forward light.
DKD and McGoldrick will be a pleasure to watch this season and young Vickers should only add to that but unfortunately if the powers that be don’t add more steel to the defence and midfield then it’s going to be in vain.
Others have covered us and I know it was only a friendly. But I saw enough to think York will do more than well. If I was a gambling man I would probably put a few quid on em to top the league.
Yes, York should have been promoted last season and I think they’ve strengthened, they are light years ahead of Harrogate, who I think my go down.
Just got in - it was not a local game for us. Agree with PoR's report largely - in the first half the pattern of play didnt work for us at all. Bland and Yoganathan were the two centre midfielders and they reallt striggled to provide a pivot or outlet and got overrun on the break. It was totally different in the second half when Bland managed to start providing an outlet for the defenders and that really changed things. DKD is just not a number 9. Way too slow and small. Absolutely wasted there. New boy summary: Great cameo from McGoldrick with an outstanding assist for Phillips goal. Cooper looks really assured, with one outstanding save and had no chance for the goals. Vickers wants to get on the ball and run at people and deserved his goal, i think he looks promising. Cleary missed two sitters one on one with the keeper in the first 15 minutes - struggled to make much impact. Ogbetta looked serviceable and had one great run in the second half where he hit the post.