U13s York 1-1 Barnsley

Graves (Jackson); Richardson, Whalen, Morgan, Evans; Clark, Chan, Clarkson (Parkinson), Boyeson; Fash, Almond.

York showed enormous resolve to secure a draw in a game in which they were ravaged by injuries and played most of the game with 10 men.

York were already depleted ahead of kick off starting with only one fit substitute.  In the opening minutes of the game, Adam Clarkson surged through the Barnsley defences but twisted his knee as he was about to shoot and had to immediately leave the field unable to return. Despite this huge loss, York continued to press and Will Almond shot narrowly wide from a cross from Sam Clark who shortly afterwards also had to leave the field following a nasty clash of heads reducing York to ten men.

Unsurprisingly, given the disruption to the York line up, Barnsley came into the game and gained the upper hand but were unable to break down the resilient York defence. Goalkeeper, Alex Graves, made a couple of saves but the York defence ensured he was not overly extended.

At half time, York lost Will Almond too which meant that they would have been reduced to nine players had injured goalkeeper Henry Jackson (who was there to support not really being fit to play) not bravely volunteered to come on to return York back to ten men. This meant that Alex Graves surrendered the gloves and switched to play left midfield. Early in the second half, Alex received the ball on the edge of the Barnsley box, dribbled past two defenders and slotted a left foot shot into the bottom corner of the net before being mobbed by his teammates.

For a short while, the game remained well balanced and Bobby Boyeson and Oliver Fash threatened to double York’s lead. As the second half wore on, however, Barnsley started to dominate taking advantage of their extra man. The York goal came under siege and the valiant Henry Jackson was repeatedly called into action making a string of fine saves despite clearly being hampered by injury. Just when hopes of a remarkable York win were rising, Barnsley found the equaliser that had long been threatened and the most likely result seemed to be a Barnsley win as they continued to apply the pressure. The York 10 held firm, however, and nearly secured what would have been an astonishing win through late efforts from both Boyeson and Joseph Richardson.

The game finished 1-1 but, in the circumstances (playing with 10 men for more than half of the game), it felt like a win.