MACCLESFIELD TOWN V YORK CITY

FA Trophy Final 

After the Vase, and an hour and a half in the ‘fan zone’ where food, drink and Premiership football on big TVs help to pass the time, it is time for the Trophy. Most of the South Shields and Cleethorpes fans have departed, their absence more than compensated by the arrival of the followers of the better supported National League teams. Another national anthem is sung as Macclesfield Town in blue and York City in red line up; then they shake hands and get down to business.

Macclesfield show early composure and Holroyd puts a header wide before York respond with an attack down the left. A cross comes in and veteran centre forward Parkin’s deft glancing header is sufficient to beat the keeper and find the net for a seventh minute lead.

Macclesfield respond with vigour. A low corner is met by James but the shot is saved; another corner minutes later finds its way to Browne who drills a shot through the keeper’s legs to equalise the score, the lead having lasted just five minutes. The Silkmen don’t rest on their laurels but continue to press. Holroyd finds space in the box but hooks his shot too high.

York have less possession but their front men’s pace seems to pose problems for the Macclesfield defence. On twenty minutes a Newton diagonal cross from the left eludes all except Oliver, who has used his speed to reach the ball and at full stretch squeezes it over the line despite the keeper’s efforts.

Once more Macclesfield shrug off the setback and go about their patient game. On the half hour Whitaker has a shot tipped over the bar then five minutes later a mazy run from Browne across the six yard line opens up the goal for him, but he skews his shot high and wide. Well into the added two minutes Norburn advances with the ball a good thirty five yards out and hammers a screaming shot that enter the net above the keeper’s head before the custodian can even react.

We are back level at the end of a first half that has flown by.

The first chance of the second half comes when a Macclesfield clearance hits Oliver and bounces just wide of the goal. Macclesfield’s efforts are more intentional with the ever dangerous Browne and Whitaker both having shots, one saved and one just wide. York respond with a swivel and shot from Parkin.

With twenty minutes left Macclesfield’s James has a volley on target that beats the keeper but is headed off the line by a defender. The countdown to extra time has reached to ten minutes when, for York, Parkin battles through a couple of tackles. His shot is blocked by defenders but the ball balloons up and is on its way into goal when substitute Connolly makes sure it gets there by volleying home from inches.

York stay admirably composed and play on the front foot for the remaining minutes, even coming close to scoring when Parkin’s late deft lob lands on the roof of the net. Macclesfield fail to find a third equaliser and it is the York fans who celebrate the win when full time is blown; those of us wanting to get home before midnight celebrate that there is no need for extra time.