2013/14: Capital One Cup First Round – York City v Burnley

One of the features of the early weeks of the new season is the start of the League Cup. 2013/14 is no exception as August will see Rounds One and Two completed of what is the Capital One Cup. It’s a chance for some early ‘giant-killing’ and as Bradford City proved last season it can be the start of an unexpected and lucrative adventure.

My choice of game in Round One is that between York City (from League Two) and Burnley (of the Championship) at Bootham Crescent. This destination is influenced by the fact that as well as taking in the game, it is an opportunity to meet and chat with Dan Tait the author of Keep the Faith, a book about his years supporting and watching York City.

The Minstermen opened their 2013/14 campaign with a 1-0 win over Northampton Town, as debutant Ryan Harris grabbed a last minute winner. For the visit of The Clarets manager Nigel Worthington made just two changes to the side from the opening day, with Jamal Fyfield replacing Ben Davies and Ryan Bowman coming in for veteran striker Richard Cresswell. Burnley also started the new season with a home fixture, but had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Lancashire rivals Bolton Wanderers. Danny Ings scored on twenty two minutes to put Burnley ahead, but this was cancelled out after thirty six minutes by a strike from Darren Pratley. For their visit to York, manager Sean Dyche kept the same side, showing his commitment to securing a win and progress in the competition.

Burnley dominated from the off with Junior Stanislas prominent and the side from Turf Moor were nearly ahead on two minutes as a Sam Vokes header hit the woodwork. Vokes had another chance just two minutes later, but this time Ingham saved well. York were not in the game as Burnley were slick going forward and winning a number of early corners. The visitor’s pressure paid off when on twelve minutes David Jones was first to a Wallace corner which was steered home. However, despite the hammering City had endured in the opening fifteen minutes they slowly got back into the game and on twenty one minutes Sander Puri had an attempt on the Burnley goal. It was however his last contribution as he pulled up injured and was replaced by Michael Coulson. With the City crowd now finding their voice, Ashley Chambers was threatening more for York and looking dangerous out wide. The game was now a more even contest as Coulson and Clay had efforts on the Burnley goal, with The Clarets continuing to be a threat on the counterattack. At the half-time whistle, Burnley went in 1-0 up, with York grateful that it wasn’t more after the battering of the opening fifteen minutes of the game.

At the start of the second-half, Burnley were back in the ascendency with Stanislas once more proving to the chief tormentor of the York defence. But just as they had in the opening half, The Minstermen worked their way back into the match with Chambers leading the charge. However, the game was effectively over on sixty one minutes, when York gave away possession in their own half and from a Danny Ings cross, Junior Stanislas stroked home to double the Burnley advantage. Both sides made a number of changes as York searched a goal to get back in the game and Burnley looked to protect their lead. With the second-half approaching the last ten minutes, The Clarets struck on the counter with Danny Ings breaking down the right. His cross into the box rebounded back to him and Ings was able to slot home for a third Burnley score on seventy eight minutes. Ings turned provider just four minutes later as Burnley again broke quickly on the counter allowing substitute Scott Arfield to comfortably place his shot home for a fourth goal. The visitors had shown their class in their clinical finishing and all-round approach play, but the final score line of 4-0 didn’t reflect the contribution York had made at various times in the game.

York City: Ingham, Oyebanjo, Fyfield, Platt (Montrose 67), Smith, McGurk, Puri (Coulson 22), Clay, Jarvis (Fletcher 70), Bowman, Chambers

Subs not used: Kettings, Parslow, Allan, Coates

Burnley: Heaton, Trippier, Lafferty, Marney, Long, Shackell, Stanislas, Jones (Edgar 70), Ings, Vokes (Stock 80), Wallace (Arfield 62)

Subs not used:  Cisak, O’Neill, Treacy, Noble

Attendance: 3,922

After the game, there was the opportunity to meet up with Dan Tait who along with his colleague Paul Walton, provide commentary of games at Bootham Crescent for York General Hospital Radio. Discussion quickly turned to the game we had just watched and how York would fare in the coming season. Like many City fans, they reflected that an untroubled mid-table finish would be more than welcome after the last day trauma that was endured last season. The events of the return to the Football League and that dramatic game at Dagenham & Redbridge are well documented in Keep the Faith and Tait expanded how the departure of Gary Mills whilst sad given what he had achieved, was necessary in March 2013. With a much changed squad under Nigel Worthington, the club will hope to maintain their League status as they work towards a new era once the new stadium at Monks Cross is completed. For this season though, The Minstermen’s dreams of League Cup progress were over after one game, but for those surviving it was one step nearer to playing in the Final under the arch at Wembley come March next year. Just another six games to win then…