At the Rare Breed Meat Co. Stadium, York City mounted a stirring comeback from two goals down to defeat Braintree Town 3-2 in a National League encounter. The match proved to be a dramatic affair, characterised by tactical adjustments and late goals.
Braintree Town began the match strongly, with Terrell Works, assisted by Chay Cooper, putting the home side ahead in the 4th minute. The Iron continued to apply pressure, and York City struggled to gain a foothold in the opening period. Braintree maintained their lead as the first half concluded.
Two minutes into the second half, Terrell Works struck again, this time assisted by George Langston, extending Braintree’s advantage to 2-0. The game appeared to be slipping away from York at this point.
However, York City, managed by Stuart Maynard, responded in the 54th minute when Alex Hunt scored, reducing the deficit. Maynard then made a double substitution in the 61st minute, introducing Joe Grey for Josh Stones and Greg Olley for Tyrese Sinclair, a tactical change intended to inject more impetus into the attack. Braintree Town also made a substitution, with John Akinde replaced by Freddie Hockey.
In the 77th minute, substitute Joe Grey, assisted by Joe Felix, levelled the score for York. Grey’s introduction proved effective as he capitalised on the opportunity to bring York City back into contention.
As the match moved into added time, the drama intensified. In the 92nd minute, Braintree’s Marley Marshall-Miranda received a yellow card for a foul. Then, in the 93rd minute, York City were awarded a penalty, which Ollie Pearce converted to secure a 3-2 victory for the Minstermen.
The match saw several disciplinary actions. John Akinde of Braintree Town received a yellow card in the 13th minute, followed by Jacob Pinnington and Hiram Boateng in the 57th minute. Chay Cooper also received a yellow card in the 73rd minute.
Late substitutions were made by both sides. Braintree brought on Manny Omrore for Goran Babic in the 91st minute, and in the final moments, Frankie Terry was replaced by Fletcher Hubbard, and Jacob Pinnington made way for Sahid Kamara. York City responded with Ryan Fallowfield replacing Alex Newby and Ben Brooks coming on for Joe Felix, as they sought to see out the added time.
This victory represents a significant turnaround for York City, who demonstrated resilience to secure three points. The win extends their undefeated streak to six games. Braintree Town, managed by Stephen Pitt, will rue their inability to hold onto a two-goal lead, extending their winless run to four games.
Following this result, York City climb further up the National League table, currently sitting in 6th position with 15 points from 7 games. Braintree Town, on the other hand, find themselves in 21st place with 7 points from 9 games.
