The most epic of title races deserved the most epic of finishes, and it got one as Josh Stones incredibly scored deep into injury-time to break Rochdale’s hearts and clinch automatic promotion to the EFL for York City.
The pitch at the Crown Oil Arena had only just been cleared of Rochdale fans celebrating what appeared to be another dramatic late winner by Emmanuel Dieseruvwe when Stones struck in the 13th minute of added time to silence the home crowd and send York into rapture.
Two teams who had taken this title race to the wire with late goals had done it again. Only last week Dieseruvwe scored in the 99th-minute at Braintree Town to delay York’s promotion party after they won at Yeovil, and it looked like he had done it again.
It would have been heartbreaking for York who lost out to Barnet last season, and could have done so again despite reaching a combined 203 points.
The National League has seen some close title races over the years, but seldom anything quite like this. York coming into the game on 107 points needing just a point to go up, Rochdale two points further back and desperate for the win they needed to pip their rivals on the final day.
In the end, it went the way of the York who will climb out non-league for the first time in a decade, rewarding the £6million investment of their mother and son owners Julie-Ann and Matthew Uggla.
It has been an incredible effort from The Minstermen who have dropped just nine points from a possible 66 since New Year, and were more than happy to drop two in a 1-1 draw here to clinch promotion.
It would have felt very harsh to have to go through the play-offs again. That fate now awaits Rochdale who will face Forest Green who finished a mammoth 25 points behind them.
Not surprisingly, the debate over automatic promotion to the EFL had dominated the build-up. Despite the rivalry, the two clubs had united on the eve of this game to issue a joint statement supporting the #3UP campaign for two teams to be promoted automatically, plus one form the play-offs.
‘We call on the National League, Football Regulator, EFL and Premier League to come together immediately and resolve this issue, so that we do not have to highlight this injustice year after year,’ they said. ‘One of us will have to fight once more in the National League play-offs. However, we both strongly believe that this shouldn’t have to be the case.’
Josh Stones’s shot is blocked but it was ruled to have crossed the line…
…sparking wild scenes at the Crown Oil Arena with York celebrating an incredible promotion
There are hopes that it might be voted in next February in time for the 2027-28 season but that will of little consolation to Rochdale right now. They could still go up, of course, but recent history shows that only six of the second-placed finishers have been promoted through the play-offs in the last 23 years.
Jimmy Mc Nulty’s side will have to pick themselves up off the floor after an absorbing final-day here in the Lancashire sunshine in front of a sell-out crowd.
York had brought 1,500 with another 4,500 snapping up tickets to watch the game on five big screens at their LNER Community Stadium or in pubs on DAZN.
A tense atmosphere had been building before kick-off, and the home fans reacted furiously to what they perceived as a dive by Jeff King when he was caught in the face by Dan Moss, and then exacted revenge on the Rochdale full-back moments later.
They thought Moss had given their side an early lead when he rose to challenge goalkeeper Harrison Male for a cross to the far post in the eight minute and the ball ended up in the back of the net, but referee Will Finnie swiftly ruled it out for a foul.
A tight and cagey first half was epitomised by Stones’ battle with Ethan Ebanks-Landell, and when York’s No.9 finally got away from the Rochdale captain in the 22nd minute, it ended with Ebanks-Landell recovering to block from Ollie Pearce and prevent the National League’s top scorer adding to his 34 goals with the best chance of the half.
York had another when Ollie Whatmuff, so impressive in goal for Rochdale on loan from Manchester City this season, inexplicably handled outside his box and Ben Brookes hammered his free kick high into the stands housing the majority of home fans, much to their delight.
Even though Stuart Maynard’s side only needed a point, they continued to press for three after the restart, and twice in the space of six minutes Stones got clear but fired straight at Whatmuff.
If felt as though Rochdale needed some inspiration and McNulty reached for it in the 67th minute when he sent on the club’s 41-year-old record scorer Ian Henderson as part of a triple substitute that was quickly matched by Maynard.
Henderson had weighed in with eight goals this season and was presented within an opportunity to score another within six minutes of coming on, but he was just off target with a free kick on the edge of the box which amounted to the home team’s best chance.
York went close again when Whatmuff had to re-adjust and make a reflex save to keep out Stones’s deflected effort, and again when he saved from Joe Grey in the 90th minute.
Rochdale have had a knack of scoring late goals to take the title race to the wire, and they so nearly snatched one in injury-time when Callum Howe headed against the underside of his own crossbar from a corner.
Dieseruvwe finally made the breakthrough when he headed in from Henderson’s cross in the 95th minute. Fans poured onto the pitch and players and staff emptied off the bench to join the celebrations, and it took several minutes to restore order.
It meant they were still playing in the 13th minute of injury-time when the ball pinged around the Rochdale box and Stones got the final touch over the line, the referee checking before awarding the most dramatic of goals with just about the last kick of an incredible season.
