ADAM HINSHELWOOD explained the decision to start Dipo Akinyemi and David Ajiboye over Tyrese Sinclair and Ashley Nathaniel-George on New Year’s Day.

York City were able to defeat fellow promotion hopefuls Gateshead 1-0 yesterday after Marvin Armstrong netted the only goal in the 22nd minute, with the Minstermen admittedly having something of an off day in front of goal.

The inclusion of Akinyemi and Ajiboye was to provide more physicality to the wings, with Hinshelwood also happy to give opportunities after the duo both scored in the 3-0 win over Southend United ten days ago.

Hinshelwood also remains happy with the options he has at his disposal, and provided an update on Cameron John, who looks set to start in York’s FA Trophy match at Gainsborough Trinity on Saturday (3pm).

“I just thought that they had come on and done well [against Southend] and that there was more power potentially,” Hinshelwood explained.

“I thought that as good as they are Gateshead, our physicality today could be the thing that swings the tie from a set-piece or a wide free-kick, we could really cause some problems with the extra power that we have got.

“It’s great to have so many good options, the squad looks unbelievable at the minute.

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“Cam John, I spoke to the physios and he’s only really got 30 minutes, so we’re hoping that on Saturday we can get a good hour into him.

“That was always the plan, rather than not have a player that’s available for the full game or from the start.

“We’ll give him a full start on Saturday.”

Another member of the squad to not be involved was Luca Thomas, whose loan from Leeds United expires today.

However, as reported in the Press earlier this week, Hinshelwood is hopeful of extending the striker’s loan deal for a second time after he had initially signed in October.

Hinshelwood confirmed: “He’s ill, he didn’t train and we were hoping that he would be back to train yesterday but he was still feeling a bit ropey.

“It’s still an illness so we didn’t want to risk him when he hasn’t trained for two days, so for him to come straight back into a game like this could have been too much of a risk.

“We’re going to sit down, Tony was speaking to their guys today and was seeing what their situation was and what they wanted to do.

“We’re hoping to extend it, I have so much time for Luca as a person and a player and he fits into the group really well.

Adam Hinshelwood has been impressed by Ryan Fallowfield's recent attitude to improve. (Image: Tom Poole) “It’s something that we’ll look to do if the opportunity is there to do so.”

Arguably the biggest cheer of the match for York came in the form of a late tackle from substitute Ryan Fallowfield, who showed the exact spirit that Hinshelwood has been wanting with a positive impact from the bench.

The right-back has found game time somewhat limited this season after the form of Joe Felix, starting just one of City’s last eight matches, with Hinshelwood impressed by Fallowfield’s attitude to improve his game on the ball.

“To have that kind of grit and determination, he trains like that everyday.

“We know that he’s got that and that he’s going to leave everything out there, he’ll be the first to admit that he’s not always the most comfortable having the ball at his feet but he’s certainly improving on that side of it.

“He’s an on the front foot defender and I thought that was what was needed just to stop and give us an extra player at the back as well.

“We could then go two v one on the striker rather than man for man at the end, and it seemed to really help.”