York City 3 Darlington 1

Cornish 13 mins, 0-1, Ajiboye 15 mins 1-1, Aguiar 68 mins, 2-1, Sinclair 73 mins, 3-1

Attendance 3316 (751 from Darlington)

Darlington’s interest in this season’s FA Trophy was ended by two second half goals at the LNER Stadium.

Quakers stunned the National League leaders with a goal by Matty Cornish, and even though York equalised straight away, Quakers kept battling away.

However, they couldn’t make their superiority at the start of the second half tell when they had some good chances, and York scored twice in five minutes to go through.

Here are the goals:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrcW1CIuRmI

and Steve's thoughts on the game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_7VzXaoI98

Quakers started against the wind, and created the first chance after 3 minutes. Matty Cornish cleverly found Cameron Salkeld on the left, Salkeld made ground and crossed into the middle where Cornish ran in and headed straight at York keeper Harrison Male.

For York, Sinclair tried to send Akinyemi away, but the wind got behind the ball and took it out for a goal kick.

When Sinclair dribbled down the left, Kallum Griffiths and Caden Kelly cleverly shepherded him out of play.

At this stage, Quakers looked to have settled the better of the two teams.

Quakers took the lead thanks to a York gift on 13 minutes. York tried to play the ball out of their box, but Matty Cornish intercepted, took a touch, and then sidefooted past Male for his second goal of the season.

But York levelled just two minutes later, when David Ajiboye ran through and slipped the ball past the advancing Pete Jameson.

Quakers nearly regained the lead on 17 minutes when Will Hatfield sent Salkeld running clear, and the striker fired just over the top.

Both sides cancelled each other out after that, with Quakers putting pressure on York when they didn’t have the ball.

Quakers won their first corner on 29 minutes. The ball was swung in by Scott Barrow, but nobody could get a touch.

York nearly scored on 31 minutes, when Sinclair picked the ball up on the edge of the box and tried to curl the ball past Jameson, but the keeper tipped the ball over the bar.

From the corner, Jameson somehow blocked Akinyemi's effort from close range, and then Barrow blocked the follow up on the line.

Ajiboye then showed great skill when he cut in from the right, beat two men on the way, but then scooped his effort wide.

Jameson again pulled off a good save when Akinyemi volleyed a right wing cross towards goal from six yards, but the keeper blocked his effort well.

Toby Lees then made a good interception as Akinemi broke into the box.

Quakers though would be happy to be level at half time after kicking against the breeze in the first half.

Half time 1-1

With the wind increasing in strength, Kelly did well to keep a crossfield pass from Hatfield in play on the left, and then cross into the middle where a defender just managed to hack the ball away.

Main then found space 30 yards out to turn a strike a right foot shot just wide of the left hand post.

York got a free kick on the right for a foul, but Dan Batty’s free kick was blown away from goal by the wind.

Quakers nearly scored from a quickly taken free kick for a foul on Will Flint. Hatfield played the ball out wide to Griffiths, who ran into the penalty area and his shot flashed narrowly past the far post.

Caden Kelly had another attempt on 57 minutes when he controlled a free kick from Jameson, cut inside, and fired over the top.

Quakers made two subs on 58 minutes, Jack Maskell and Jack Lambert coming on for Cameron Salkeld and Matty Cornish.

Lambert nearly scored with his first touch, a low 45 yard free kick that the keeper held at the second attempt.

Quakers went close again when York couldn’t clear a bouncing ball in their area, and Main laid the ball off for Hatfield to sidefoot just wide.

York tried to hit back, and Forbes got a good tackle in on sub Pearce as he tried to shoot.

But York scored from the corner that followed on 68 minutes. The ball went over to the far side of the box for Ricky Aguiar, who had time to control the ball, turn, and hit a right foot shot past Jameson into the bottom corner.

They went 3-1 up on 73 minutes, when the Darlington defence was split through the middle, and the ball was played across for Sinclair to tap in.

Kelly was always keen to have a go, and he had a great effort from 30 yards out on 83 minutes which the keeper tipped over the bar. From the corner, Jack Maskell thought he’d forced the ball over the line, but the referee awarded a foul.

Quakers kept going, and Male pulled off a full length save from Platt’s shot from the edge of the area

Final score: York 3 Darlington 1

Jameson, Griffiths, Lees, Forbes, Barrow, Hatfield (sub Rivers 85), Flint (sub Platt 74), Cornish (sub Lambert 58), Kelly, Salkeld (sub Maskell 58), Main (sub Alshabeeb 85)

Subs: Hedley, McGrath

York

Male, Crookes, Howe, Sinclair, Akinyemi, Nathaniel-George, Batty, Aguiar, Felix, Ajiboye, King

Subs: McLaughlin, Pearce, Armstrong, Watson, Chadwick, Fadera, Thomas