Wanderers got their pre-season campaign underway at a warm and sunny Bootham Crescent, with a squad largely comprising of the club’s under 23 and under 18 players losing out by a single goal against their more experienced opponents.
Alex Kempster hit the only goal of the game in the first half to present the hosts with a narrow victory.
Captained by Dennis Politic, the visitors got the game underway against their more experienced opponents.
Andy Bond had the game’s first effort on goal when he latched on to a low left-sided cross but his strike lacked the power to trouble Wanderers’ keeper Matt Alexander, who comfortably welcomed the ball in to his hands.
Bond was starting to become a threat for the Minstermen and again Alexander had to be on guard to keep out the midfielder from distance, this time having to get the ball at the second attempt.
Liam Smith saw his left footed drive fly past the foot of Alexander’s left-hand post after some good hold play.
Wanderers were battling in midfield but were unable to impose themselves in the final third during the opening stages of the contest.
A good piece of defending from Jordan Boon broke up a dangerous looking counter attack when Eddie Brown gave away the ball in midfield.
Alexander made another smart save – this time with his feet, as Kempster looked to curl one in from the right-hand side.
The deadlock was broken just after the hour half mark when Kempster intercepted Boon’s intended header back to Alexander. The big York striker capitalised on the indecision and slotted into an empty net to put the hosts a goal to the good.
Wanderers’ first effort on goal came from a Politic free-kick but his effort didn’t trouble Ryan Whitley in the York goal.
The visitors were getting more into the game as the half drew to a close with Politic looking very lively.
The Wanderers skipper even tried his luck from just inside the York half but the effort was wayward.
With the exception of the centre-back pairing of Yoann Zouma and Jordan Boon, Wanderers fielded a different line-up at the start of the second-half.
Wanderers earned a corner not long after the restart when Edmonson’s left footed drive clipped a York defender. The set-piece came to nothing however as the ball went out for a goal kick.
The hosts wasted two glorious opportunities to increase their lead in quick succession when Kieran Green fires over from eight yards out after ball eludes two of his team-mates before it reaches him.
Despite York having plenty of ball, the young Wanderers were showing plenty of resilience and determination to get themselves back into the game.
Senior was rather unlucky to see his glancing header from a corner go over Whitley’s cross bar as the young Wanderers pressed for an equaliser
Substitute keeper Luke Hutchinson was in inspired form for the visitors making a number of fine saves, the pick of which was a block with his legs as Dyer went one-on-one with him.
It was a good battling display from the young Wanderers who matched up to the physical battle of their more experienced opponents.
First Half Wanderers XI: Alexander Whalley, White, Zouma, Boon, Graham, Politic, Wood, Hall Brown, Darcy
Second Half Wanderers XI: Hutchinson, Assarson, Senior, Edmondson (Richards 78), Osigwe, Zouma (McGuire 60), Boon (Colvin 60), Lockett, Sterling, Riley, King-Harmes