York City's next step is clear after incredibly promising League Two win over Gillingham - analysis
A deep dive into York City’s 3-0 victory over Gillingham
Thursday will mark a year since York City were last beaten in a league fixture at home.
It was a brisk Wednesday evening last October and Scunthorpe United were 3-1 victors over the Minstermen, who could only muster a consolation in the dying embers of the National League fixture.
York are now in a different league and playing under the watchful eye of a different manager, but their penchant for a strong home display has remained.
Home comforts
League Two promotion hopefuls Gillingham descended upon North Yorkshire as a form team yesterday (Stepmber 26), only to become the latest in a long line of clubs to have a tough time at the LNER Community Stadium.
York were 3-0 winners, putting the 10-man Gills to the sword with goals from Joe Grey, Jovan Malcolm and Ollie Pearce.
“I think it's (home form) important because I think that it's difficult,” said York boss Scott Lindsey. “This league's really hard - it really is.
“You look away from home, it's hard to get results. Look at Grimsby, Grimsby's a really good side, they get beat by Newport today at Newport.
“It's hard to go on the road, so it's important that we win our games here, and the fans are a big reason behind that. They're excellent. We normally play excellent when we're playing at home, the players feel it, it feels good.”
York City’s tactical plan
Animosity hung in the air at the very beginning of Lindsey’s reign as fans were angered by the decision to part with National League title-winning manager Stuart Maynard.
Lindsey’s tenure is still very much in its infancy, yet signs point to the existence of a foundation from which something exciting can be built.
Gillingham were not quite as awkward as expected and York admittedly struggled to properly see them off before Zane Albarus saw red.
However, the game plan was evident and the Minstermen were singing from the same hymn sheet as they rendered Gillingham’s man-marking set-up ineffective for the most part.
York worked to draw Gillingham forward before playing into spaces behind the press, with wing-backs Joe Felix and Harry Boyes joining the likes of Grey, Pearce and Alex Newby in attacking the vacated areas.
It did not always work - and there was an occasional tendency to try and circumvent Gillingham too early - but the overall efficiency was vindicated by the number of chances they had compared to their opponents.
“I felt there were times when I didn't want to go long just off one,” Lindsey explained. “I wanted to make passes first before we went long because I think it draws them towards the ball a little bit more, and it opens spaces out higher up the pitch.
“In actual fact, the first goal came straight from Alfie [McNally] in behind and Joe Felix ran and chased it down and set it back to Pearcey. Pearcey crossed it and we did talk about the movement in the box because we knew that they marked man for man.
“When the ball goes wide, they latch onto their strikers and they mark their men really well. So, we wanted to have real good movement. If you watch the [first] goal back, Newby blocks Joe Grey's man and Joe Grey has great movement around the back post and does well to finish it.”
The next step
Season ticket holders are certainly getting value for money - but York must now look to reward those who pile into cars, coaches and train carriages to follow the Minstermen away.
“I can only be happy that we're playing at home next,” said Lindsey. That doesn't mean to say that I'm unhappy when we play away from home, I think obviously we want to put that to bed as well.
“We want to win that first away game. But first of all, the next game is the most important one, which is at home again. That's the one we're focusing on.”
York City: McNally, Fallowfield, Johnson, Kitching; Felix (Read 81), A. Hunt, Banks (King 81), Boyes; Grey (Maguire 81), Newby (Malcolm 57); Pearce.
Unused substitutes: Sykes-Kenworthy, J. Hunt, Palmer.
Gillingham: Wright, Smith (Daley 65), Beckles, Dobbs (Kendall 65); Freeman, Brophy, McKenzie, King (McCleary 31); Hale (Dack 65), Goodwin (Albarus 19), Waldock.
Unused substitutes: Luthra, Antwi.
Referee: Scott Oldham (Lancashire)