York City beat ten man Gillingham 3-0 at the LNER Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Gareth Ainsworth made one change to the starting XI that beat Bristol Rovers, as Will Goodwin returned to the line-up in the place of Lamin Sillah, who missed out due to a head injury.
Goalkeeper Rohan Luthra was named on the bench, having joined the club on a short-term deal. Bradley Dack, Zane Albarus and Cameron Antwi were named among the substitutes.
Joe Grey gave the hosts the lead inside two minutes. A long ball forward was chased down by Joe Felix, who kept it in play before cutting it back to Ollie Pearce, who delivered a high-looping cross. Grey got on the end of it unmarked at the back post, but could not make clean contact with his shot, sending it into the ground. It appeared to be going over the bar, but it dipped at the final second and crept into the goal.
The hosts thought they were about to score a second after 14 minutes. They broke forward from a Gills corner after Felix won possession midway inside the York half, leading the counter. The ball was then played through to Grey, who was bearing down on goal, but Harry Waldock, who was the last man, did just enough to apply some pressure, forcing a heavy touch that allowed Ollie Wright to gather.
In the 18th minute, Gills were forced into a first change when Goodwin went down and could not continue. He was replaced by Albarus, who made his return to match action.
Pearce had a good chance in the 26th minute. Ollie Banks curled a ball in behind the visiting defence, allowing Pearce to latch onto the ball. He let it run across his body before sending it goalward, but was denied by the leg of Wright, who did well to block the shot.
Alex Newby struck the woodwork moments later. He had the ball on the left-hand side before running inside onto his right foot and rifling a shot across the goal towards the far corner. It left Wright rooted to his spot, but smacked off the inside of the post before the ball was cleared.
Gills were forced into another substitution when Eli King went down during the previous passage of play and could not continue, being replaced by Garath McCleary.
Andy Smith had to be alert when Pearce ran across the six-yard box to meet a low cross. He tried sliding it goalward, but Smith was right behind him to block.
Newby came inches away from scoring again when he got on the end of Alex Hunt’s cross. He flicked it first time towards the far bottom corner, but it went just wide of the post.
The pressure continued as the hosts looked for a second. Hunt carried the ball into the box before sending a left-footed shot towards the bottom right corner that hit the post. The rebound sat perfectly for Pearce, but his goalbound attempt was well blocked by a Gills defender.
HALF-TIME: York City 1-0 Gillingham
McCleary had a half-chance after a fantastic sliding challenge from Logan Dobbs. The central defender timed it perfectly with the ball finding the forward, who was able to turn and drive towards the box. He carried it inside before shooting, with his low drive blocked by a home defender.
The forward had another sight at goal after 56 minutes. The visitors did well to keep the ball in play before James Brophy played it in the direction of McCleary, who was on the left-hand side. He carried it towards the penalty area before cutting inside onto his right foot and shooting, with his attempt flashing across the goal and going wide of the far post.
Wright had to be alert to deny Jovan Malcolm. He received the ball just outside the box, shifting it onto his left foot before sending a low drive towards the bottom right corner, and the Southampton loanee did well to get down and push it away from the goal.
Grey had a chance moments later when he tried his luck from 20 yards out, with his curling attempt going over the crossbar.
In the 65th minute, Gillingham made their final three substitutions, as Sheldon Kendall, Dack and Jack Daley all entered the game. Dobbs, Ronan Hale and Smith made way.
In the 70th minute, Albarus was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Malcolm made it two for the hosts five minutes later. He did well to hold off pressure from a defender before drilling a shot from the edge of the penalty area into the bottom left corner.
York had a third when Harry Boyes’ shot from the edge of the box deflected off Pearce and ended up in the back of the net.
Brophy did brilliantly to carve out an opportunity for himself as he made a driving run into the York half and as he got towards the edge of the penalty area he stopped to cut onto his right foot before shooting. His attempt had Alfie McNally beaten, but the ball crashed off the crossbar.
In the 89th minute, Malcolm stung the palms of Wright. The ball sat up favourably for the York forward to thump it first time on the half-volley, but Wright got across to palm it away before the hosts were awarded a free-kick.
FULL-TIME: York City 3-0 Gillingham
York City: McNally, Fallowfield, Kitching, Johnson, Grey (Maguire 81’), A. Hunt, Pearce, Boyes, Felix (King 81’), Banks (Read 81’), Newby (Malcolm 57’)
Unused Substitutes: Sykes-Kenworthy, Palmer, J. Hunt
Gillingham: Wright, Smith (Daley 65’), Beckles, Dobbs (Kendall 65’), Freeman, McKenzie, King (McCleary 31’), Brophy, Waldock, Hale (Dack 65’), Goodwin (Albarus 18’)
Unused Substitutes: Luthra, Antwi
Referee: Scott Oldham
Attendance: 8268 (885 Gills supporters)
