Great Saturday For York

Tamworth 0-1 York City (National League)

It’s that stage of the season where it either matters a lot, or it matters not. Whilst winning or losing today might not make much difference for Tamworth Football Club it means everything to York City who are heading their head-to-head battle with Rochdale in the promotion race to decide who gets to go back to the Football League.

Top of the table York have 101 points and have scored 109 goals and they are two points above Rochdale who they play (away) on the last day of the season.

With three games to go, two until they meet at Spotland, neither team will be wanting to slip up, to ensure it goes to the wire, where we will all get to witness potentially the best ever finish to the National League championship race.

Not so interesting for Tamworth, they drew 2-2 with Halifax last time out to postpone any slim hopes of a playoff place for another season, they’ll be residing in the fifth tier for a third successive campaign next year, and as a part-time team they are flying the flag as the nations highest ranked semi-pro club, comfortably mid table which is incredible considering the last time I watched them in January, they were starting to look over their shoulders at those creeping up down below.

A decent run of just one defeat in their last six means they go into todays game in good form, but York and their travelling army of supporters will be hopeful of another win, one more towards their title target.

It’s on DAZN so an early kick off for me, which has scuppered the wife’s gym plans as I leave the house at 10am, I’m getting in town nice and early to soak up the atmosphere, and more importantly, make sure I get a parking place before the away team bus arrives.

The Venue

I’ve arrived through the car park gates as a steward points me towards the players staff and media parking, there’s young Tamworth lads pulling up in their VW’s & BMW’s as fans are already queuing to get in the away end, the York City bus isn’t even here yet as I sit listening into the radio for a bit of quiet time whilst parked up.

The sun is out, but it’s bloody cold, as I struggle against the wind walking from my car to reception, I’m given a pink wristband, a young girl in a Brummie accent says to me “you know where you’re going don’t yah”.

I walk behind the tin stand and past derelict looking portacabins to get to my seat next to the York media team nice and cushty all close-up to the action, I’m joined by a scout who spends most of his time watching Leamington who are bottom of the National League North, a Nuneaton fan largely, although he whispers that quietly to me.

The stadium, if you can call it that, has real charm and character, is ugly, like a scrap metal yard, but serves a purpose, like a scrap metal yard does, I suppose.

I love the low tin roofed stands covered in billboards, the houses behind that give the place a residential community focussed backdrop, I sit here wondering about the land surrounding the whole place, they could probably build a fine modern new facility in the car park and move in when it’s ready, without effecting the current ground, it feels like a lot could be done, but over the years the bare minimal, the basic essentials, the least they can do, they have done, it is practical, not pretty, serves a purpose, but doesn’t enthral.

The Game

By now the York end to my left is completely full, the two teams come out and on the toss, York kick up hill, the dry warn plastic pitch also makes this game a potential banana skin, I’m sure it’s not a match they have been looking forward to, Tamworth is never an easy place to come to, but with the wind behind their sails, if they can chalk it off and scrape a road win, York City’s title chase, is very much on.

York do start well, passing, Tamworth are passive as the away side get a feel for the tempo, ponytailed midfielder Ollie Banks is flicking and tricking in a way that reminds me of the first forty minutes that James Maddison played during Tottenham’s extra time victory here last season in the FA Cup. It all looked so comfortable for him early doors too, let’s see if he’ll be doing that around 70 or 80 minutes in? James Maddison certainly wasn’t.

For all their early domination, Tamworth look handy on the break as York take risks sometimes leaving one on one at the back, Oli Lynch on loan from Luton Town has had a decent return in recent weeks, he’s running the back three hard as the Lambs press on the counter, a cross to Creaney is blasted by his strike partner out of the ground and into the car park towards the nearby Snowdome.

York too have had chances, the busy Ben Brookes has been linking well with the forwards, he’s had a chance scuffed wide before crossing to Newby on 27, the strikers shot rebounding to Ollie Pearce who slides in from close range and off the post, a scrappy one, his 33rd for the season, how important has his incredible contribution been to York?

As Pearce walks back with high fives to the tune of Depeche Mode’s Just Can’t Get Enough sung by the 800 York fans behind the goal you can feel the relief, it’s not been easy, and it still won’t be easy, but something to cling on to, puts York City in the driving seat.

The Score

Tamworth are disappointing in the first half, they seem to have banished their old guard, the long throw in of Tom Tonks, the motocross like engine of midfielder Alfie Bates, the nastiness of big centre half Haydn Hollis, all these days asked to sit on the bench for more creative, younger, fancier models, so when Andy Peaks decides at the break to bring his trio of stalwarts on, I think to myself, “now we are going to get a game”.

Within minutes, Tonks throws one into the box from half way, Bates snaps away at the legs of Alex Hunt who by now has bossed proceedings far too easily in the centre of the park, and Haydn Hollis has not once, but twice, tried to headbutt someone, picking up a yellow card for his troubles, York are suddenly having to scrap.

And Tamworth should score, Kurtaran one on one appears in front of Harrison Male who is made to make a save, then Ben Acquaye races through from half way, rounds the keeper and can’t compose himself to finish, I say to the scout next to me “If I had money on York today, I would be cashing out now”.

But City wrestle back some rhythm, they are largely in control without being convincing, Jeff King cuts in as I open my mouth “he can shoot” I say as someone in York colours nearby shouts “have a crack”. King curls left footed a beauty against the bar.

By now the flicks and tricks of Ollie Banks are just a distant memory. He’s having an argument with Jeff King. “Get it in the fucking box” he tells him. But Banks despite his ego (found out at first hand in his younger even cheekier days whilst playing for FC United) is a player I really like, he digs in and grafts, has quality on the ball and epitomises York City’s free flowing football philosophy, hard work, good discipline, but with a sassy bit of style and fluidity in play.

The last moments however are anything but Neal Ardley’s usual sophisticated plan A, as he resorts to plan B, Dan Batty, Callum Howe, Ryan Fallowfield, all come on, all instructed, to do one thing, see the game through, which is exactly, what they do.

The Stars

Tamworth were much changed since the last time I saw them play, some of the old guard subbed as mentioned, some still playing part from the off, Jas Singh in goal is still good, Jordan Cullinane-Liburd at centre back is one I’ve always admired, Dan Creaney up front perhaps didn’t get going to his usual standards, subbed at half time with what looked like an injury.

Of the new batch, Oli Lynch stood out as one that made things happen, he was more physical industrious and looks to have come on since I last watched him during a drab 2-0 defeat by Halifax over New Year. Hard working with a bit of quality, however he did have a chance which he fluffed, which I expect a player on a football league clubs books, like he is, to score.

York were professional and organised and one player standing out as he did in their Good Friday win at Boston was Alex Hunt who is a terrific number eight given complete license to play how he wants, under Neal Ardley. He pulls strings wherever he picks up the ball, often taking it off the keeper or full backs, sitting in for centre halves when they bomb forward and popping up in the number ten area to progress things along. Hunt I’m told always had promise as a youngster at Sheffield Wednesday and Grimsby, now 25 is in the peak of his years playing some of his best stuff.

I could go through the whole lot, who might not have been as flowing as they were when I watched them last week, but they stuck to the task, were much the better team, and you always felt, they could shift a few gears if they needed to. That said, they were indebted to Harrison Male on occasion and I vouch for him as their man of the match on the day. Two big saves, he took crosses well and eased pressure off, he’s very good on the ball, it seems you have to be, to play for York.

The Verdict

York City host Yeovil next, whilst Rochdale are at relegated Braintree, should both teams do what they need to and take routine three points, all eyes will be on Spotland in a fortnights time, for arguably the biggest game of both teams recent histories, a title decider that will guarantee not only who gets called best in the division, but also guarantees a return to the Football League in 2026/27.

The Teams

Tamworth: Jas Singh, Jo Riley, Callum Cockerill-Mollett (Haydn Hollis 46), Jordan Cullinane-Liburd, Joe Rye (Tom Tonks 46), Matt Curley, Ben Acquaye (Tom McGlinchey 84), Stefan Mols (Daniel Isichei 84), Teo Kurtaran, Dan Creaney (Alfie Bates 46), Oliver Lynch.

York City: Harrison Male, Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Zak Johnson, Mark Kitching, Jeff King (Ryan Fallowfield 77), Ben Brookes (Callum Howe 84), Alex Hunt (Daniel Batty 84), Ollie Banks, Hiram Boateng, Ollie Pearce, Alex Newby (Joe Grey 67).

12:30pm Kick Off. Saturday 11th April 2026, The Lamb Ground, Tamworth (att 1,706).