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Match Report: York City 1-0 Gateshead |
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By Max Benson
City weathered a second half storm to claim a fifth win on the bounce and move up to third in the Blue Square Premier table.
For the second home game running, a side in the bottom half defied their league position at Bootham Crescent with a strong comeback after Alex Lawless gave the Minstermen a first half lead.
It proved to be a lightning start for City who should have been ahead inside the first minute when Michael Rankine showed the turn of pace usually displayed by his suspended strike partner Richard Brodie.
Rankine beat Phil Cave down the right and tried a cheeky near post shot that ‘keeper Paul Farman could only parry. Michael Gash met the bobbling ball at the far post but was unable to connect properly with his shot.
And Rankine was denied again four minutes in. After latching onto a long ball, the former Rushden striker prodded the ball past the onrushing Farman, only for it to hold up and be cleared from the goalmouth.
He is in a rich vein of form and Rankine’s sheer determination to chase down a back pass from 40 yards away earned his side a throw in from a flustered clearance and himself a round of well deserved applause from the Bootham Crescent crowd.
Neil Barrett benefitted from some neat play involving Rankine, Gash and Lawless after twenty minutes. The ex-Portsmouth midfielder could only shoot over from the edge of the area, though.
City were on top and took full advantage halfway through the first half. Chris Carruthers delivered the second of successive corners deep into the area where Lawless stooped to head home his first goal for the club from close range after Gash's flick on.
Gash was looking sharp in his first start after a broken foot. The summer signing from Ebbsfleet was showing class and intelligence both on and off the ball against Gateshead’s centre backs who have an impressive combined age of 71.
Former City trialist Peter Winn came closest for the visitors ten minutes from half time. His curling right foot free kick had Michael Ingham stretching to his left, but the Scunthorpe loanee’s strike bent around the post.
Despite leaking a number of goals this season, Gateshead have carried a threat throughout the campaign at the other end. Daryl Clare, who has netted five times in four games for the Tynesiders after joining on loan from Mansfield, threatened to break free before David McGurk did superbly to both win the ball and retain possession.
James Meredith showed his attacking worth shortly after, breaking free on the left before centring to Barrett who saw his shot deflected behind.
Rankine stung the palms of Farman just a minute later with a fearsome shot from the edge of the box that honed in like a tracer on the understandably alarmed ‘keeper who could only parry it.
Andy Haworth dribbled into space early in the second period but appeared to forget that football is a team game, forsaking his well-placed colleagues and shooting embarrassingly wide from 35 yards out.
Barrett enjoyed a productive evening in the centre of midfield and had his second half-chance of the night on 55 minutes. After exploiting a gap in the middle, he used his weaker left foot to shoot a couple of yards wide.
It was proving to be a tighter affair after the break. The visitors defended with substance and looked to come forwards with gusto. With this in mind, Martin Foyle made the positive move of replacing a subdued Lawless with winger Adam Smith as the Minstermen searched for a second.
City had their biggest let-off in a long time halfway through the second half. Chris Swailes met a corner in the middle which Meredith cleared off the line. But that only came back to Swailes who, from less than eight yards out, blazed wastefully over the stranded Ingham’s crossbar.
Just like against Ebbsfleet, the Minstermen were being forced back into their own half. After an outstanding first half and through no fault of his own, Rankine looked like a very isolated, lonely man waiting to feed off long clearances.
Smith nearly took advantage when one such delivery was squared to him by Rankine. The former Chesterfield wide man had time to take aim but shot too close to Farman from range.
For all their dominance after the interval, Gateshead were largely restricted to long range shots as McGurk and Luke Graham ably commanded their under-fire back line.
So it was City who rose well into the play off’s ahead of Saturday’s crucial FA Cup Second Round tie away at Cambridge United.
Line-Ups
York City (4-4-2) – Ingham, Parslow, McGurk, Graham, Meredith, Lawless (Smith 61), Barrett (Ferrell 82), Carruthers, Gash (Gall 78), Rankine
Subs Not Used – Mimms, Berry
Gateshead (4-4-2) – Farman, Baxter, Swailes, Williams, Cave, Haworth (Phillips 71), Turnbull, Gate, Winn (Francis 87), Clare, One (Mackay 82)
Subs Not Used – Provett, Pelonde
Referee – Jake Collin (Liverpool)
Yellow Cards - Ferrell (York City)
Man of the Match – James Meredith
Attendance – 2,302 (140 Gateshead)
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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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