After a goalless first-half, Ollie Pearce’s strike 12 minutes after the break proved to be the difference.
Ian Watson made two changes from last weekend’s Emirates FA Cup win at Fleetwood Town. Kane Taylor returned from injury, with Jamie Allen making his second Dale debut after signing a short-term contract during the week. Charlie Tasker and Jamie Paterson missed out through injury.
Dale started brightly and saw the first effort of the game cleared off the line early on, when Aden Flint headed a ball into the area back across the face of goal. Dajaune Brown headed goalwards, but a York defender was in the perfect spot to clear. Glenn Middleton saw the follow-up deflected wide.
The visitors had the better of the first-half play from then on, with Hiram Boateng seeing a shot deflected off the outside of the post and Ollie Pearce striking the upright with a curling effort.
Alex Hunt, Harry Boyes and Ollie Banks sent efforts off target and Arthur Read had a low shot held, as the Minstermen tried to make the most of their upper hand.
Dale had the final chance of the half though, when Middleton got the better of his defender, but saw a clipped effort saved by Alfie McNally.
After the break, Brown saw a header from Silcott-Duberry’s cross saved, but it was the visitors who opened the scoring.
A shot from outside the area was met by Ollie Pearce inside the area, who diverted the ball into the top corner.
In reply, Brown headed wide from Luke Hannant’s right wing cross, but it wasn’t until the final ten minutes when Dale began to pile the pressure on York.
Another header was cleared off the line, when Flint nodded goalwards after a Dale corner hadn’t been cleared.
Substitute Ian Henderson was then denied by a fine save by Alfie McNally, with Ryan East’s follow up blocked.
Henderson then saw a hooked effort held and Bryant Bilongo, in added time, rifled a shot from the edge of the area, which Flint diverted off target.
Dale threw bodies forward looking for an equaliser, but it wasn’t to be.
Dale XI | Waller, Wilson, Gilmour ©, Silcott-Duberry (74’ Adeeko), Adebayo-Rowling, Hannant (74’ Hayes), Taylor (62’ Bilongo), Allen (62’ East), Brown (80’ Henderson), Middleton, Flint.
Unused subs | Ebanks-Landell, Francis.
York City XI | McNally, Fallowfield ©, Kitching, Johnson, Hunt (77’ Maguire), Pearce (88’ Malcolm), Boyes, Read, Boateng (67’ Stones), Felix (67’ Grey), Banks
Unused subs | Sykes-Kenworthy, Medley, Newby.
Scorers | 57’ Pearce.
Attendance | 5,612 (1,644 away.)
