Soccer
York return to EFL in style with thrilling victory over Bristol Rovers
York debutant Harry Boyes bagged a brace to mark the club’s EFL return after a 10-year absence with a thrilling 3-2 home triumph over Bristol Rovers.
Boyes – a summer signing from Southend – netted the first EFL goals of his career and was joined on the Minstermen scoresheet by Alex Newby.
Clinton Mola had given Steve Evans’ visitors a first-half lead and substitute Tommy Leigh later levelled from the penalty spot, but Boyes had the last say for York.
A raucous sell-out home crowd were quietened when the Pirates scored from their first attack on the half-hour mark.
Keenan Gough’s long ball picked out Fabrizio Cavegn on the left and his low cross saw Mola squeeze a shot goalkeeper Alfie McNally.
York responded with two goals in four second-half minutes.
First, on the hour, Joe Grey’s low cross was turned in from eight yards by Newby before Boyes fired home from 15 yards in the 63rd minute.
The visitors equalised in the 78th minute after Morgan Williams was controversially penalised for a shove and Leigh sent McNally the wrong way with the subsequent spot-kick.
But Boyes headed in from a yard in the 80th minute to win it after Newby had nodded down Ollie Banks’ deep cross.
