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By Max Benson
City cruised to a 3-1 victory against last season’s Play off Semi Finalists with an emphatic performance from start to finish at KitKat Crescent.
Martin Foyle made two enforced changes after Tuesday’s comeback at Gateshead. Richard Pacquette began his suspension and David McGurk missed out after picking up a hamstring injury in the North East.
Djoumin Sangare earned a full debut at the heart of defence after impressing as McGurk’s replacement and winger Adam Smith came back into the starting line up as City searched for width.
Richard Brodie should have scored in the 3rd minute. Smith tricked his way past two Histon defenders and, checking his run, he pulled the ball back to Purkiss and although his eventual ball into the box fell invitingly to the big Geordie, his firm side footed shot was well saved at ground level by Joe Welch.
City were having the better of the opening exchanges, with Smith causing problems down the right and Brodie intermittently dropping deep to link up play as the home side looked at their most coherent so far this season.
The pressure told on 11 minutes and City’s opener came, yet again this season, from a cross. After the ball was cleared straight at Purkiss, the City right back showed no hesitation in sending a ball right onto the head of Brodie who rose with uncharacteristic grace to nod the ball home. It was no less than the Minstermen deserved.
Unlike in the previous campaign, when City went ahead, they kept pressing. On 19 minutes, after yet more impressive build up play, Michael Gash knocked the ball down for Andy Ferrell who took a touch and bent a shot five yards over from outside the box.
On 23 minutes City came as close as can be to a second. Ferrell set Brodie free down the left before embarking on a Gascoigne-esqe lung buster of a run from the half way line. Brodie did his bit, firing the ball invitingly across the area as Ferrell threw himself head first only for his effort to agonisingly bobble away off the right hand post with Welch well beaten.
Histon were simply not allowed into the game, with further pressure leading to a free kick on the edge of the box which was dispatched into the David Longhurst Stand by Brodie.
A response nearly came, typically for Histon, from a set piece. A corner from the right found Adam Tann in space but the former Notts County man sliced his volley comfortably wide.
But City continued to threaten and the lead was again nearly doubled on 35 minutes. Captain Daniel Parslow ducked into a corner at the near post, heading into the side netting from 8 yards.
The side netting rippled again in the 41st minute as Smith drove inches wide, this time after cutting across from his favoured right flank deep into the box.
City were indebted to Michael Ingham in the 42nd minute though as the Northern Irishman stood tall to block a shot from the onrushing Josh Simpson.
A further wake-up call came just before half time as the ball seemed to spend an eternity in the six yard box with Parslow and Sangare finally combining to clear it away from danger.
City began the second half in confident fashion. The home side used both flanks, at times in the same move, stretching both the play and their flagging opponents.
Smith then gave City fans the second goal they were so desperate for. Alex Lawless played in Brodie who was felled, fairly, as he tried to turn back onto his favoured left foot. The ball rolled to the edge of the box where the flying winger side footed home with consummate ease.
A candidate for miss of the season soon followed as Bradley Hudson-Odoi somehow managed to put the ball over from just two yards out with the home defence left flat footed.
Craig Pope should have been sent off on 64 minutes as he gifted City a penalty. Brodie raced clear of the Histon back line before being hauled down just inside the area. Pope must have been the last man but the referee, for reasons unknown, decided a yellow card was sufficient.
As it was, City settled for the goal, with Brodie picking himself up and confidently slotting the spot kick into the back of the net before gleefully saluting the 38 Histon fans on the Grovesnor Road Terrace.
Histon couldn’t cope with the Minstermen who were running riot. On 70 minutes Brodie broke free once more, his attempt was smothered and Ferrell’s follow up shot was deflected round the right hand post.
A clever free kick routine followed soon after with Ferrell driving a low shot at goal only for the under siege Welch to parry away.
City were all over the visitors and on 80 minutes Gash nearly got himself onto the score sheet. Turning stylishly away from Pope, the former Ebbsfleet man curled his shot a yard over from 25 yards.
And Michael Rankine nearly troubled the scorers only 2 minutes after coming off the bench, exploiting space in front of a tiring Histon defence before drilling narrowly wide of the left hand post.
Histon pulled one back at the death as Danny Wright ghosted into the box, nodding in Gareth Gwillim’s cross from the left, although it would prove to be little consolation for the Cambridgeshire side.
In truth, City deserved much more than a 3-1 score line, they bossed the game from start to finish and, most impressively, won by playing stylish passing football against one of the league’s most direct and combative sides.
Line-Ups
York City (4-4-2) – Ingham, Purkiss, Sangare, Parslow, Meredith, Smith (Nelthorpe 87), Lawless, Barrett, Ferrell (McWilliams 84), Brodie (Rankine 81), Gash
Subs Not Used – O’Hare, Mimms
Histon (4-4-2) - Welch, Pope, Tann (Bygrave 81), Langston, Gwillim, Andrews, Simpson, Hudson-Odoi, Knight- Percival, Wright, Barker (Leabon 74)
Subs Not Used – Hammond, Oyebanjo, Farrell
Referee – Mr Richard Wrigglesworth
Yellow Cards – Nelthorpe (York) Pope, Wright (Histon)
Man of the Match – Richard Brodie
Attendance - 1,944 (38 Histon)
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Upcoming fixtures at York City FC
24th August - AFC Barrow - 7.45pm KO
28th August - Altrincham 3pm KO
4th September - Rushden & Diamonds 3pm KO
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