Travelling back to twelve month ago as a long barren period on the road finally comes to an end against North Ferriby United.
Travelling back to twelve month ago as a long barren period on the road finally comes to an end against North Ferriby United.
York City won their first away game in almost sixteen months through on loan defender Aarran Racine’s first-half header at Grange Lane.
The Minstermen therefore move off the bottom of the table courtesy of a second consecutive clean-sheet and first league victory in eighteen attempts – and first on their travels in an incredible thirty-six games in all competitions.
The visitors made a single-change with experienced former Norwich City midfielder Simon Lappin returning at the expense of Daniel Nti, who reverted to the bench.
Striker Jon Parkin curled an early effort wide for them and Lappin delivered a free-kick onto the roof of the net.
York were having all the possession on a difficult surface and found themselves rewarded on thirteen minutes, Lappin’s corner being knocked on by Yan Klukowski and headed in from close-range by Racine.
Parkin’s effort from the edge of the area then failed to seriously trouble goalkeeper Rory Watson before strike partner Rhys Murphy was too high from distance.
City went close to another goal when a Lappin corner witnessed Murphy’s far post header being cleared off the line by their former defender Taron Hare.
Lappin soon delivered an inviting free-kick which missed everybody and struck an upright before Ross Armstrong almost volleyed into his own net while attempting to clear. Parkin headed over from Lappin’s resultant corner.
Moments later Murphy went down inside the area under challenge from keeper Watson but no favourable decision was forthcoming.
The Minstermen were up against the strong wind during the second-half and should really have already been more than a single-goal ahead.
However, they soon lost defender Klukowski with a knock and he was replaced by Alex Whittle, who conceded a corner from which the hosts almost equalised when keeper Kyle Letheren rescued Mark Gray’s header.
Murphy’s glancing reply from Adriano Moke’s cross was straight at Watson, but the part-timers, with conditions now strongly in their favour, were having much more of the ball and substitute Darryn Stamp headed Hare’s free-kick wide.
Another former York striker Reece Thompson then couldn’t quite reach on loan Kyle Wootton’s driven cross before veteran Stamp headed straight at Letheren.
Striker Murphy broke in the opposite direction but was checked by Ben Middleton inside the area, while it was Levi Sutton drilling over in reply as the resolute visitors held on for a vital win.
North Ferriby United: Watson, Middleton, Skelton, Armstrong (Kendall 85), Topliss (Fallowfield 46), Gray, Sutton, Emerton (Stamp 68), Hare, Wootton, Thompson
subs (unused): Oliver, Bateson
York City: Letheren, Rooney, Klukowski (Whittle 56), Racine, Heslop, Holmes, Moke, Lappin, Newton, Murphy, Parkin
subs (unused): Fry, Nti, Woodland, Rzonca
Goals: Racine (13)
Ref: S. Oldham
Att: 1,950
Video Link: York City FC
