Match Report: York City 0-0 Needham Market

York City couldn't find a way past Needham Market on Saturday afternoon, as they were held to a stalemate by the seventh tier outfit.

The higher-league hosts looked to break the deadlock early on, and almost did as captain Lenell John-Lewis fiercely fired one towards goal, forcing Needham ‘keeper Marcus Garnham into a fine save.

Dan Batty couldn’t get anywhere as close on eight minutes, as his low driven shot was seemingly misfired well wide, before the visitors began to threaten.

Jacob Lay was first to try his luck, but his effort was always rising, then another strike over the bar arrived moments later.

Eventually, the Marketman managed to notch their initial shot on target, and it was through Dan Morphew who got one off on the turn, forcing City debutant Rory Watson to get down well and hold.

Watson was called into action again on the half-hour mark, collecting a deflected effort from Luke Ingram, but once more, it was nothing that was really going to trouble the Minstermen stopper.

Down the other end nine minutes later, the best chance of the game evolved, with some good play from York, getting the ball across to Ryan Fallowfield on the right-hand side who then drilled a perfect low into the box, with Olly Dyson getting on the end of it with a strike that looked certain to be heading in, but denied unluckily by the crossbar.

Starting to look a bit shaky though towards the conclusion of the half, the referee’s whistle signalled the end of that and quite a flat 45 minutes.

The second half began in pretty much the same dull fashion although a chance did come down the Needham end, with City striker Dipo Akinyemi making an excellent run down the channel, weaving in and out of yellow shirts before trying to clip one onto the ‘keeper, however alternatively winning a corner via a slight deflection.

But as the clock ticked past 58 minutes, many could argue that the hosts should have been a goal down, caught out on the counter, and able to put a ball into the box for Dylan Williams to try his luck with, and somehow, he blasted over the goalframe - a let off for the Minstermen.

A few minutes later, Akinyemi was back among the action, latching onto the ball at the back post with a first-time low attempt, but an excellent block from Garnham prevented the opener.

Approaching the 80-minute mark and still concerned about whether they would be in Sunday’s First Round Draw amid Needham pressure, York defender Will Smith dashed forward before switching the play to the right-hand side, and then came the cross, which Garnham had to come out and punch, but ended up flapping at it and the ball falling back to Smith, who recycled the chance though it ended quickly with Dyson’s mishit strike from the edge.

Desperately trying to prevent a replay, John-Lewis leapt for a free header in the box, but again, it was wide of the post, and the deadlock remained intact going into the final eight minutes.

Seconds before the board was raised indicating a further four minutes to be played, an opportunity opened up for substitute Zanda Siziba from long range, and it was certainly worth a hit, landing on the roof of the net.

There was to be one last chance, deep in added time for York City, as John-Lewis rounded the ‘keeper and had his low shot diverted away by a Marketman, cleared only as far as Akinyemi, who had an open goal to aim at on the volley, yet somehow it still wouldn’t go in for Neal Ardley’s side, cleared off the line astonishingly by the head of Jake Dye, whose bravery at the death ultimately secured the seventh tier side a replay back at Bloomfields on Tuesday night.

The winner will travel to Chester in the FA Cup First Round Proper.

York City: Watson, Fallowfield, Crookes, Cordner, Dyson, Akinyemi, John-Lewis ©, Batty, Burgess (Siziba 65'), Woodyard (Kennedy 59'), Smith.

Unused subs: Whitley, Castro, Hancox, Barrow.

Yellow cards: Woodyard (19'), John-Lewis (83')

Needham Market: Garnham, Dye, Smith, Hammond, K. Morphew ©, D. Morphew, Ingram (Chambers 85'), Williams, Page (Fraser 80'), Lay, Allen.

Unused subs: Podd, McGrath, Letts, Harris, Crossthwaite.

Referee: Benjamin Tomlinson

Attendance: 1867 (101 away)