York City vs Gresley Rovers
Our greatest day
The following match report, which was played on 29th November 1930 appeared in the Yorkshire publication "The Football Press". Gresley Rovers had reached the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in its history and were drawn away to face York City.
The comparatively unknown quantity of Gresley Rovers, as far as Yorkshire football is concerned, gave a certain amount of novelty to the meeting of York City and Rovers at Fulfordgate today, in the first round proper of the FA Cup competition.
The teams had never met before and the only link between them was that Gresley were Midland League members 15 years before the present City club entered that competition.
Gresley made their long journey this morning and came with a string of five cup successes behind them in the qualifying rounds.
Laycock in place of Cowie at inside right was the only change in the City team from that of a week ago.
Despite a lot of recent rain the ground was in excellent condition with no bare patches, even with the season half finished.
In dull weather there would be about 4,000 spectators when an early start was made. The City immediately made tracks for the Gresley goal and Kelly failed to get more force behind his shot when he was well placed following a good movement on the right. The City forced the pace in the early play, their combination having the Rovers in a great deal of difficulty on several occasions.
Johnson stopped an attempt by the Gresley centre forward to burst through, while a shot from T.Warren was wide of the goal. The City were keeping the Rovers chiefly in their own half but so far they had not been able to get in a decent shot.
Gresley continued to defend well and gradually did more attacking and Farmery had to save a bouncing shot after some loose defensive play.
Dunleavy was enterprising in the Gresley attack and in one burst he had a clear course but Johnson and Brooks overtook him and forced him to send wide.
The Rovers were enterprising whenever they got a foot in the York half and so far the game had been noteworthy for the lack of shooting on both sides.
Gresley forced Davis to concede a corner which was followed by a second but the York defence prevailed.
The City were far from comfortable at this stage. The crowd began to get a little impatient at the failure of the City to open the score, but at quarter time York again began to take the game in command and Waring saved brilliantly from Fenoughty.
The forward play of the City livened up considerably and Evans began placing the ball with more accuracy. Mee was a hard worker in the Gresley half-back line while Waring brought off another splendid clearance from Laycock. He went full length and just turned the ball away when his prospects of doing so looked hopeless.
The City took the lead at the end of 25 minutes. Evans sent in a hard shot from the wing and although Waring touched the ball it came at such speed that he could not stop it entering the net.
Despite this reverse Gresley played spiritedly and Dunleavy got in a clever shot with his left foot and was only just wide.
The play of the City was becoming more balanced and Evans sent in a fine centre, which the goalkeeper punched out. The ball was returned by Ellis and it was some time before the Rovers could clear the danger.
The Rovers were quite enterprising on the left and in the centre and Brooks was not altogether comfortable in some of their attacks.
Bird did not make very good use of a chance when the ball came to him unopposed on the right. He steadied himself for a shot when he could have made progress and although he was near the objective Farmery had the ball well covered.
The Gresley attacks although inclined to be spasmodic were dangerous and the City forwards were still far from playing their usual. A neat pass from Laycock was just too far for J.Kelly while Waring was hurt in a collision with Laycock when he went out to fist the ball.
Near the interval City forced three corners and each time Waring got his side out of difficulties. Fenoughty had no force behind a shot which enabled the goalkeeper to clear and Rovers then went to the York end in a smart attack.
The ball was centred and Johnson in kicking away for a corner sent the ball near enough to his own goal as to be decidedly uncomfortable.
The Rovers were defending surprisingly well and made a spirited effort to get on terms in a number of their attacks.
Evans placed the ball on top of the net in a York attack. The shooting of the City on such occasions as they were allowed was none too good and Waring had not much difficulty in dealing with the majority of the shots that came his way.
In the first minute of the second half J.Kelly headed into the hands of Waring from Evan's pass. The City kept up the pressure and two corner kicks were forced.
From the first Fenoughty headed towards the empty net, Waring having been drawn out of his goal, but Wheeldon dashed across to head out what would otherwise have been a certain goal. Yet another corner kick followed but Waring made a remarkable clearance.
There was a shock for City when straightaway Gresley attacked down the centre and with Brooks and Johnston hesitating rather surprisingly to challenge them, Claye got in a shot which hit the crossbar.
Farmery had left his goal and the ball rebounded to T.Warren who returned it and shot a good goal to make the scores level. This was seven minutes into the second half.
Although the City fought back keenly and did most of the attacking they could not find many openings and when they did Waring was always too good for them in goal. The City attack was inclined to be patchy and faced by a stubborn defence it seldom got into a proper swing.
Gresley were by no means threatening to the City goal as were York with their opponents but every credit must be given to the Rovers for the determination with which they did their defence work.
The City in their pursuit to get in front had a chance when Evans took a pass from Laycock and placed a perfect centre. Kelly seemed to have a chance of getting the ball but he failed to reach it and it passed out of play.
There was always the danger of Gresley getting a snap goal and in quick break away they were dangerous. The City was playing rather too cramped and with a great deal of anxiety but at three quarter time the teams were still on level terms.
This was a fine tribute to Waring and his defensive colleagues seeing the pressure they had had to withstand. An attempt to put Kelly through down the middle failed and the City continued to make no impression on the Rovers' defence.
Ellis was rather disappointing on the left wing and upon Evans devolved most of the responsibility for providing centres.
The outside right provided Fenoughty with a beautiful centre in one attack but the inside left took too much time to get the ball under control and it was kicked away from him before he could shoot only two yards from the net.
Then City forced the ball through in a melee, Laycock apparently being the scorer, but for some infringement not clear from the grandstand, the point was disallowed.
Waring again saved from Ellis and the Rovers then made one of their few attacks and it was as well for City that Davis covered his backs and enabled Farmery to clear from Dunleavy.
Good work by Fernoughty and an accurate centre found Laycock too slow but the ball went to Evans in a favourable position. The wingman, however, shot hard against the post.
The City certainly had chances to get in front but Waring spoiled them as he did when Evans had a shot, and again when Kelly had an attempt.
The Rovers then dashed to the York end and Farmery had to handle a fast drive and in another attack had to run out of his goal to kick clear.
Gresley made a bid towards the end to get a goal and the City were tested in a number of attacks.
Laycock, however, got away and forced a corner on the right but this, like many others, brought no tangible result to the City.
With time fast slipping away City could not get the goal they wanted. Ellis looked like it after a quick burst but although Waring was drawn out of his goal, Kelly could not reach the ball before it went out of play.
Gresley defended with great determination in the closing minutes and offered a packed goal to the City in every attack. Gresley held out until four minutes from the end and one could almost sympathise with them for what occurred after their magnificent defensive display.
The ball came from the left and Laycock, although he dallied, put the City ahead at close range.
Then, to make the issue safe, the City went straightaway and J.Kelly scored a fine goal by a piece of quick thinking. He took a pass from the right, turned instantly on one foot, and had the ball in the net before Waring realised there was any danger.
It had been a grim struggle and the City had a shock before they got these deciding goals in the last few minutes.
York City (1) 3
Gresley Rovers (0) 1
Scorers: Evans 25, Laycock 86, J Kelly 88 (York City); T.Warren 52 (Gresley Rovers).
York City: Farmery, Brooks, Johnson, Beck, Davis, Thompson, Evans, Laycock, J Kelly, Fenoughty, Ellis.
Gresley Rovers: Waring, Wheeldon, Whittaker, Chambers, Mee, W Warren, G Bird, T Warren, Dunleavy, Claye, Topliss.
Referee: G W White (Leicestershire).
Attendance: 4000
