York City endured a painful late defeat at the LNER Community Stadium, succumbing to a 95th-minute goal from Solihull Moors’ Jacob Wakeling. The tense match concluded 0-1, leaving the home support deflated and the travelling fans celebrating.
The first half was a cautious affair, with both sides finding it difficult to carve out clear chances. Referee Aaron Bannister was kept occupied, issuing yellow cards to York’s Alex Hunt and Hiram Boateng for fouls, before adding Tyrese Sinclair to the list shortly before the interval, further disrupting York’s momentum. Solihull Moors’ Ben Worman received a yellow card shortly after the restart.
The second half saw a number of substitutions as both managers looked to invigorate their attacks. York City manager Stuart Maynard made a triple substitution in the 73rd minute, introducing Daniel Batty, Greg Olley, and Ryan Fallowfield in an attempt to break the deadlock. Solihull Moors had already made a double substitution in the 66th minute, bringing on Darius Lipsiuc, who later provided the assist for the winning goal, and Szhem Whyte-Hall.
As time dwindled, the game seemed destined for a goalless draw. However, deep into added time, Lipsiuc delivered a decisive ball, finding Jacob Wakeling, who secured the victory for Solihull Moors. The drama wasn’t over. In the final moments, Dan Creaney of Solihull Moors was shown a straight red card for violent conduct, followed quickly by a second yellow card, resulting in a red, for Ben Worman, leaving the visitors with nine men as the final whistle sounded.
This late win provides Solihull Moors with a valuable three points as they look to climb the table after a slow start to the season. For York City, the defeat is a setback, especially after their strong start to the season which saw them occupy a play-off position before the match, in contrast to Solihull Moors who were further down the table. This result will sting, and Stuart Maynard will be looking for a reaction from his team in their next fixture.
