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By Max Benson
The Minstermen clung on for a second away win of the season and made it ten games unbeaten after a dramatic encounter.
Both sides played their part in an entertaining fixture that was the perfect antidote to last Saturday against Stevenage which had at times resembled a Rugby game.
As expected, Michael Gash was missing after picking up a foot injury at the weekend. Michael Rankine came back into the side to resume his early season partnership with Richard Brodie.
Alex Lawless and Chris Carruthers were again on the bench for the Minstermen as manager Martin Foyle opted for consistency over the element of surprise.
The home side were without former City centre half Chris Smith after he picked up a late injury. Michael Wylde, who had been an injury doubt himself, deputised at the back.
The better football was being played by the Minstermen in the early stages but it was Tamworth who came close in the 9th minute. Richard Tait burst past Daniel Parslow before the City captain recovered and blocked his shot with the following rebound ballooning well over the bar.
Soon after, a neat passing move with Ben Purkiss at its heart found Brodie who shot high and wide from the edge of the box.
And Brodie almost turned provider after 14 minutes. Andy Ferrell overlapped down the left to meet his fellow Geordie’s header only to find the alert ‘keeper Danny Alcock in his path.
But it was the home side who took the lead on 17 minutes. After City had failed to clear their lines, Tait shot from the edge of the area, sending the ball over the top of the helpless Michael Ingham who could only get a faint touch to help it into the top left hand corner.
As play continued to switch from end to end, Ferrell curled a cross in from the left which was met by Rankine who headed wide from 12 yards.
Half an hour in City’s captain was inches from atoning for his weekend own goal. Adam Smith’s out swinging free kick to the back post was met by Parslow who looped a header off the top of the bar and behind.
It was becoming clear to see why the Lambs have such a good home record. Jake Sheridan, Bradley Pritchard and Alex Rodman in particular were joining forces to play some impressive flowing football.
City got the break they so desperately needed against the run of play on 40 minutes. Ferrell scored his first goal for the club after breaking through the centre and executing the neatest of finishes into the bottom left hand corner.
Despite the quality of his build up play, Rodman was badly let down by his finishing just before half time. Finding space outside the area, he conspired to hack his shot into the trees behind the away terrace.
Just before the break,Sangare came ever so close to repeating his weekend heroics. After flying in from deep in his customary style, the Frenchman somehow had his goal bound header deflected behind.
The Minstermen struck the woodwork again just moments into the second period. Rankine created room for himself down the right channel and thundered a drive into the right hand post with Alcock well beaten.
The end to end nature of the match was epitomised on the hour when the lively Rodman forced an excellent save from Ingham after springing the City back line.
A glorious counter attack by the Minstermen from that very move culminated in a perfect Ferrell cross that was nodded home in style by Brodie for his 10th goal of the campaign to put City ahead for the first time in the game.
Tamworth should have equalised just minutes later. Michael Ingham embarked on a bizarre excursion to the corner flag on his left with the home side piling forward. Having lost possession, the Northern Irishman was stranded and Tamworth were odds on to score.
By the time the Minstermen had desperately blocked a couple of efforts, Ingham had scampered back and made an outstanding save to more than make up for his error, taking flight to his left and keeping out an effort from point blank range with one hand.
In similar fashion to the weekend, Lawless and Carruthers were introduced for Meredith and Smith with shoring up the defence clearly in mind. The break in play did no harm either.
By now amidst a torrential downpour, the hosts upped the tempo, pressing every second of City possession and fighting tooth and nail for every loose ball.
But it was the Minstermen who extended their lead in emphatic fashion 12 minutes from time and there are no prizes for guessing the scorer.
Jimmy Sangare’s stock just keeps on rising. Ferrell once again delivered a superb ball from the left and the man of the moment was there to head the ball over the line in front of nearly 300 delirious away fans behind the goal.
It was no surprise, given the even nature of the game, that Tamworth pulled a goal back in the 88th minute. Tait notched his second of the night, heading a Des Lyttle cross over Ingham with City’s defence caught napping.
So, in true York City style, it was a case of hanging on tight.
It was a gripping finale. Although Brodie latched onto a Lawless long ball and crashed a dipping shot into the crossbar, it was City who ended the five minutes of injury time under siege.
The Minstermen survived a big penalty shout when Levi Mackin looked to have brought down his man and Ferrell picked up a fifth booking of the season for a rash tackle as pressure mounted. He will now miss the trip to Salisbury on Saturday.
With backs firmly against the wall, the full time whistle came as a blessed relief and the ever impressive army of travelling fans will now have a couple of days for their fingernails to grow back before a tricky trip to the South West.
Line-Ups
York City (4-4-2) – Ingham, Purkiss, McGurk, Parslow, Meredith (Carruthers 66), Smith (Lawless 66), Mackin, Barrett, Ferrell, Brodie, Rankine (Pacquette 83)
Subs Not Used – McGurk, Nelthorpe
Tamworth (4-3-3) – Alcock, Lyttle (Lake-Gaskin 90), Briscoe, Wylde, Blackwood, Shaw, Pritchard (Andrew 81), Tait, Wright, Rodman, Sheridan
Subs Not Used – Mills, Belford, Koranteng
Referee – Mr D Mohareb
Yellow Cards – Meredith, Ferrell (City) Sheridan, Lyttle (Tamworth)
Man of the Match – Andy Ferrell
Attendance - 1,118 (283 City)
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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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