Match Report: York 0 City 0

Nigel Pearson’s Foxes dominated possession for long periods against their League 2 opponents, whose solid defending held City at bay, despite Danny Drinkwater hitting the post in the first half and David Nugent having two efforts cleared off the line.

However with an exciting home tie against AS Monaco beckoning on Saturday at King Power Stadium, and a new season around the corner, the Manager will have been pleased to see his charges come through a tough examination unscathed. 

It was a return to 4-4-2 for The Foxes as last season’s top scorer David Nugent joined New Zealand international Chris Wood in attack, while Danny Drinkwater partnered Matty James in central midfield.

League 2 side York named their strongest side for the match, with on-loan full back Ben Davies getting a debut and former Foxes Ashley Chambers and Richard Cresswell also getting starts.

After a good start from the Minstermen, City began to get their passing game going, and did manage to engineer a couple of openings through Lloyd Dyer down the left flank, but when the winger cut the ball back to Anthony Knockaert in the 16th minute, the Frenchman’s shot went well over.

With York pressing well, City had to work hard to find their rhythm, and had George Taft found his shooting boots in the 25th minute, they may have had the lead, but Paul Gallagher’s cross bounced unkindly for the youngster who scooped his effort over the bar.

The chances soon started arriving though, and for both sides. York’s Tom Platt snatched at a decent half volley, while for Leicester Nugent’s far post header was well blocked by Daniel Parslow and Knockaert’s scorching 25 yarder whistled wide of the post.

Pressure was mounting, and City were now looking the more likely when Drinkwater cracked the post with a shot and youngster Ben Davies twice cleared off the line from Nugent on 40 minutes.

Unchanged after the break, City continued to work hard for their openings without really being able to test York ‘keeper Michael Ingham with a meaningful effort.

Drinkwater did come close though in the 57th minute as Nugent’s ball to Dyer bobbled into his path – however his left footed shot was scuffed a foot or so wide of Ingham’s left hand post.

Past the hour mark and just like at Port Vale the previous night, there were no signs of changes from the City bench, as an all-important full 90 minutes beckoned for most of the squad on what was turning out to be an interesting encounter against a resilient York defence.

But in truth, what was clearly a good exercise with City well in control was turning into a game of few chances – despite some quick interchanges between Knockaert and Dyer on the edge of the area did resulting in a smart save down low from the latter’s shot.

Young striker Tom Hopper then made his entrance in an unfamiliar position central defensive position with 15 minutes to play at the expense of Taft, who had impressed at the back alongside Liam Moore.

With Hopper in defence, City were able to see out the match comfortably and eventually claimed their third consecutive pre-season clean sheet in a match that saw 'keeper Conrad Logan rarely troubled.

York: Ingham, Oyebanjo, Davies, Smith, Parslow, Clay, Chambers, Jarvis, Cresswell, Platt, Puri

Subs: Kettings, McGurk, Coulson, Fyfield, Bowman, Allan, Dickinson, Atkinson, Coates

City: Logan, Gallagher, Schlupp, Drinkwater, Taft (Hopper 75), Moore, Knockaert, James, Wood, Nugent, Dyer

Subs not used: Smith, Panayiotou, Paratore, McCourt, Larrauri

Referee: Mr. Ross Joyce

Attendance: 1,564