Bootham Crescent, home of York City but not for much longer as they are soon to be moving to a new more modern stadium 3 miles out of town next to the Monks Cross shopping centre but for now they are still based just outside York City Centre. Nicknamed the “Minstermen” after the City’s famous York Minster landmark. 21st December 2019 and I’m so excited for Santa!! So excited that I’m going to watch a North east derby between York City and Darlington!
I arrived at York at around 11:30am just because I love York! It’s a Beautiful City! Visiting the York Chocolate Story making my own lolly to comparing York’s Christmas market to Sheffield Christmas market… York wins! But time was up and time to watch the match! Off to Bootham Crescent I went. £14 to watch this National League North tie! Beauty! However, I came to this game to stand with the York fans and here I was… in the away end… I didn’t have that much to drink before the match honestly! But then I thought, I’m here now let’s see how the good the Darlington fans are eh? And as the players went in after their warm ups, Darlington fans began to set the tempo for the atmosphere! Good decision Topliss!! Just as York began to unleash their flags and their noise… Woops!
Kick Off! A bright start for the visitors here who took the game to York. 8 minutes gone and Adam Campbell found himself with the ball 25 yards out and went for goal……. OH MY WORD!! WHAT A GOAL!!! EAT THAT!!! One of those goals you would here the phrase: “No goalkeeper in the world would have saved that!” One of the best goals I’ve ever seen live at a match before, simply sensational! Darlington took a thoroughly deserved lead. Darlington continued to press, York playing the ball at the back and the ball came to York’s goalkeeper Peter Jameson and… OH NO!! WHAT’S HE DONE! Adam Campbell wins the ball back and runs in on goal… “SHOOT CAMPBELL!!!” Screamed the Darlo fans, he does… BLOCK!!! York’s Joe Tait was there with the last gasp clearance! All he had to do was shoot…
During the match I was talking to 2 Darlo fans about their club and the past and whether they would ever return to the football league, as I had grown up with them always being there, I love getting to know about other clubs! Also about the match, the best they had seen this season from Darlo they said but Darlo seem to give goals away and blow it they added. Another chance for Campbell who was in!! But Jameson had other ideas and got there in time to clear the ball. Frustration kicking in from the York fans but sheer delight from the Darlington fans, who picked the wrong end now eh? Darlington would ultimately come close but not find a second goal, half time 0-1.
Second half, York manager Steve Watson threw on all of their substitutes and changed the system, were Darlington going to blow it this time? Atmosphere from the York fans now! “Play up City! City play up!” York began to respond and take control of the match, but Darlo looked dangerous on the break. Big Chance for York, shot! Parried and OH! OFF THE BAR!! Should have been 1-1. York come again… Ball in the box towards Macauley Langstaff!! OFF THE BAR AGAIN!!! That’s twice now, Darlington living dangerously. Wave after wave of attacks from York now, surely an equaliser was coming. Another cross from the left and it’s Langstaff again!! Side netting!! Should have scored easily! York continued to press but ultimately could not find that all important equaliser.
FT: York City 0-1 Darlington
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 8/10 – Brilliant atmosphere by both sets of fans, I’d call it a draw in the atmosphere battle as both sets of fans were fantastic!
- The Ground: 5/10 – It’s a ground on it’s last legs sadly, although I’m not a fan of clubs moving grounds, a move is necessary if the repairs are too expensive. The ground is old school which I am a fan of and there is plenty of history here but the ground is quite run down now and as for the toilets… let’s not bother!
- Expense: 9/10 – A good, fun open game at Bootham Crescent today with great atmosphere and I can tick Bootham Crescent off of my list before it disappears.
- Overall Experience: 9/10 – A great day out, always was going to be when you visit York. The Darlo fans I met were fantastic and so was everything else. I hope one day both teams get back into the Football League and I look forward to visiting York’s new Community Stadium but that is a story for another time…
31/40