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York City 2-0 Kettering Town |
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By Max Benson
It is now 6 games unbeaten for the Minstermen after they gave Kettering a footballing lesson at KitKat Crescent.
A second half brace for Richard Brodie made it 13 points from a possible 15 on home soil so far this season.
City boss Martin Foyle left his side unchanged for a fourth consecutive game as Jimmy Sangare’s impressive form at the back once again limited David McGurk to a place on the bench.
The visitors’ in-demand Manager Mark Cooper had a wealth of experience to choose from. Lee Harper, Ian Roper and Darren Wrack have over 900 league appearances between them and all three lined up against the Minstermen in what was, on paper at least, an adventurous 4-3-3 formation.
But it was City who made another lightning start and they were nearly ahead after just 10 seconds. Brodie charged down a Roper clearance before seeing his right foot shot palmed away by Harper. The ball almost fell to the onrushing Michael Gash, but Exodus Geohaghon was on hand to clear.
The Minstermen came close again on 5 minutes as Andy Ferrell’s in swinging free kick to the back post was nodded wide by Gash.
Fans’ favourite Sangare came close to his first goal for the club soon after, racing in to meet a Ferrell corner and sending a bullet header just over and into the David Longhurst Stand.
Geohaghon possesses arguably the longest throw in the league but his first grenade of the afternoon, deep into the area, was well dealt with by City’s back line who went on to smother all further attempts as well.
In a game which was physical throughout, tempers flared just after the half hour mark.
The incident came after Brodie committed an innocuous foul on James Jennings in the Kettering area. With the opposition full back writhing on the floor, Brodie then appeared to be partially throttled by Roper, who had run a considerable distance to confront him, sparking a brief fracas.
Having restored order, Referee Madley decided a yellow card was sufficient for both Roper and Brodie.
Soon after, Moses Ashikodi managed the impressive feat of clearing the Grovesnor Road Terrace with a free kick from only a yard outside the box.
Both sides were struggling to settle at the start of the second period although Patrick Noubissie did go close for the visitors just a minute after the break when his deflected drive flew inches wide of Michael Ingham’s left hand post.
For once, Sangare’s irrepressible enthusiasm nearly cost him. The Frenchman sent Ashikodi tumbling just an inch outside the box. Fortunately for City, the Kettering striker was feeling generous and blazed the resulting free kick high and wide.
City had shouts for a penalty themselves on 55 minutes when Brodie fell to the floor under a challenge whilst attempting to connect with Adam Smith’s cross.
But that was forgotten just a minute later when Brodie got his reward. Ferrell’s corner was headed back into the six yard box by Sangare and the Geordie striker was there when it mattered, sticking a leg out to prod the ball in.
The away side were shell shocked and that was highlighted when a complete lack of communication on the half way line left Neil Barrett free to stride forwards and spread the play right to Smith who twisted and turned and finally had his shot deflected over.
On 65 minutes a James Meredith ball had Gash straining to break free of his Geohaghon-shaped shackles. Unable to do so, he attempted an ambitious lob over Harper from outside the area which was never in danger of finding the net.
But it was that man again on 68 minutes. Yet another excellent Ferrell corner found a way through to Brodie, via the head of Daniel Parslow, and he forced the ball home with ease from close range, sending the Crescent into raptures.
On a booking and with his work for the day done, Brodie was substituted shortly afterwards, giving City fans the chance to show their gratitude with a standing ovation.
The Poppies, striving for a way back into the contest, almost made for a nervous finale on 75 minutes when substitute Danny Thomas hit the bar from 15 yards out with Ingham beaten.
Kettering dispensed with their midfield for the final 10 minutes and threw bodies forward. But the away side’s increasingly direct approach only made life easier for Sangare and Parslow who regained and then retained possession with consummate ease.
The gaping hole in the middle of the park also provided City’s midfield quartet with a chance to string together several impressive passing moves, grinding down any resolve the visitors had left as time slipped away.
The full time whistle heralded what is possibly City’s most satisfying victory of the season to date against a team that were 2nd in the league. The Minstermen now lie 4th in the Blue Square Premier table ahead of another tough clash a week on Tuesday at home to Cambridge United.
The words fortress and KitKat have probably never been used in the same sentence before. With a couple more home performances like that, they soon might be.
Line-Ups
York City (4-4-2) – Ingham, Purkiss, Sangare, Parslow, Meredith, Smith (McGurk 90), Lawless, Barrett, Ferrell (Mackin 84), Brodie (Rankine 73), Gash
Subs Not Used – O’Hare, Nelthorpe
Kettering (4-3-3) – Harper, Dempster, Roper, Geohaghon, Jennings (Taylor 84), Noubissie, Fowler, Wrack (Thomas 68), Ashikodi (Marna 68), Spencer, Green
Subs Not Used – Eaden, Bussey
Referee – Mr R Madley
Yellow Cards – Ferrell, Brodie, Smith (City) Fowler, Roper, Geohaghon (Kettering)
Man of the Match – Andy Ferrell
Attendance - 2,275 (157 Kettering)
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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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