Having conceded only seven goals all season, York were in no mood to spoil that record and they scored four of their own to keep up their title challenge. The Fleet had kept the scoreline blank up until shortly before half-time with a much more solid performance than of late but the home side pushed on in the last 15 minutes to put the game out of sight.
Two new signings were announced pre-kick-off, one of which – Pape Souaré – started. He was joined by Anthony Stewart, Kwame Thomas and Wes Fonguck as changes from the FA Cup defeat at Maidstone.
Fleet forced the first half-chance when Anthony Stewart fired wide on four minutes after a free-kick had led to a bout of head tennis in and around the York box. The visitors had the best of the opening period but Mark Cousins had to be down well to Cameron John’s run on to a useful Dipo Akinyemi pass.
Tyrese Sinclair nodded a header over from eight yards out on 12 minutes but four minutes later was involved in a controversial incident when he turned past the Fleet defence and went to ground as Josh Wright came across to challenge. Wright was incensed and the referee agreed with his opinion, booking Sinclair for a dive.
Cousins was down next to Alex Hunt’s low drive as York stepped up the pace but Fleet were matching the home side and both teams were taking it in turns to venture forward. On 24 minutes, a cross fell in the Fleet box that pinged around alarmingly before Cameron John’s shot was blocked.
The Fleet goalkeeper was in terrific form just past the half-hour point when Akinyemi raced down the right and crossed into the box. Ricky Aguiar was arriving and got his close-range effort on target that Cousins got up to claw away. And as Sinclair tried his luck with the loose ball by the post, the visitors’ number-one somehow got back to his feet to jump high and keep that out as well.
York’s speed and movement was proving troublesome and Aguiar curled another effort towards the top corner that Cousins dealt with easily enough.
It was that same speed and movement that unlocked the Fleet defence four minutes before half-time when Felix sprinted forwards and a ball to Aguiar was laid-off first time into the path of former Worthing top scorer Ollie Pearce who made no mistake in finding the bottom corner.
York finished the half as they began it with Sinclair heading over from the edge of the six-yard box but the vital breakthrough by Pearce left Fleet, who had been compact in a much-improved performance to that point, with plenty to do in the second period.
Franklin Domi tried to catch out Harrison Male with a shot that threatened to go over the York keeper who had the sun in his eyes but recovered his ground.
An even better chance arrived for the Fleet on 51 minutes when Jim Kellermann did ever so well to keep the ball in play down the left. Caught by surprise, the York defence were outnumbered and the Fleet midfielder crossed for Thomas but he was denied by Male.
York responded three minutes later when Aguiar bent a shot on target from the edge of the box and Cousins leapt across goal to save with his following hand.
Harry Watling then made what must have been the first quadruple substitution in Fleet history, with Aaron Cosgrave making his debut as one of several attacking changes. But typical of Fleet’s luck this season, there was then a lengthy stoppage while Todd Kane received treatment from both teams’ physios before he was taken off on 67 minutes – though thankfully on his own two feet and not on the stretcher that was produced.
But just as Fleet were looking to make a little more headway in the York half, the hosts extended the lead. That came on 73 minutes, Pearce crossing from the right and Akinyemi having to lean back to connect well to smash the ball home.
And it was 3-0 four minutes from the end. Luca Thomas had sprung the Fleet line to force a save from Cousins but Akinyemi fired the ball back in and it fell for Pearce to turn it home.
Dominic Poleon was denied a consolation goal by Male in time added on but York had the last word when Thomas came through the middle to receive a pass and finish past Cousins for 4-0. Pearce then saw his shot pushed on to the post by Cousins as the clock ticked towards 99 minutes
EUFC: Cousins, Kane (Chapman 67), Souaré, John, Stewart, Wright, Kellermann (Bingham 55), Fonguck (Cosgrave 55), Domi, Tanner, (Lawson 55) Thomas (Poleon 55). Subs: Wakely, Berry
YCFC: Male, John, Felix, Fallowfield, Howe, Batty (McLaughlin 90), Hunt, Aguiar (Thomas 75), Sinclair (Harriott 80), Akinyemi (Fadera 90), Pearce. Subs: Watson, Armstrong, Chadwick
Attendance: 5,716 (118 EUFC)
Photos: ©EUFC/Katie Humphris and Tom Poole
