York United displayed a dominant performance, securing a resounding 3-0 victory over the Halifax Wanderers at their home stadium. The visitors wasted no time, scoring early and frequently in the first half to establish their authority.

The Wanderers faced a setback with the absence of French midfielder Lorenzo Callegari, who was sidelined due to a suspension resulting from yellow card accumulation. As a result, Captain Andre Rampersad was joined in the midfield by Mo Omar and Aidan Daniels. On the other hand, York United had to do without their star attacker Mo Babouli for the fourth consecutive game across all competitions. Coach Martin Nash relied on Oussama Alou, Osaze De Rosario, Austin Ricci, and Clément Bayiha to provide the necessary attacking prowess.

True to Nash’s pre-match expectations, York United burst out of the gate with relentless energy. They initiated two shots within the first five minutes, mounting pressure on the Halifax defense. York United created several promising opportunities around the Halifax box, including a short free-kick that Alou directed on target, only to be stopped by the goalkeeper. The persistence paid off as Matthew Baldisimo seized a pocket of space, took advantage of the referee’s advantage call, and effortlessly advanced through midfield to unleash a shot from outside the box, beating goalkeeper Yann Fillion and propelling York United to a 1-0 lead.

The visitors continued their attacking onslaught and were rewarded again after twenty minutes. Executing a swift transition play, Ricci charged towards the box and delivered a perfectly timed pass to Alou, who skillfully curved the ball over the crowd of defenders, finding the net near the right post. The goal extended York United’s lead to a commanding 2-0.

Trailing by two goals at halftime, Halifax coach Patrice Gheisar made a tactical substitution. Kosi Nwafornso entered the fray up front, while Tomas Giraldo bolstered the midfield. Unfortunately for the Wanderers, the changes failed to yield the desired results. Early in the second half, York United once again capitalized on a swift transition, with Ricci orchestrating the attack. As he penetrated the box, Ricci squared the ball towards the goal, leading to a loose ball that was swiftly pounced on by Brem Soumaoro, who made no mistake in burying it into the back of the net. The goal increased York United’s advantage to an insurmountable 3-0.

Halifax mustered some late pressure in their pursuit of a consolation goal, launching a series of attacks into the York United box. Although they came close on a few occasions, the visitors displayed defensive resilience and held onto their clean sheet, leaving the Wanderers empty-handed.