York City 1 Bath City 1

New manager Gary Mills was given clear indication of the difficult job he faces as York City totally disappeared without trace after the break against lowly Bath City at Bootham Crescent.

Recalled striker Michael Rankine had already earned them the lead from the penalty spot with his sixth goal of the season before the visitors took complete charge and veteran 37-year-old ex-Rochdale and Torquay United midfielder Alex Russell equalised early in the second-half. Then only a magnificent late save by Michael Ingham rescued York from a fourth successive defeat.

Former Tamworth boss Mills had earlier stamped his authority by leaving out half the side heavily defeated at Newport County last week. Greg Young, Jamal Fyfield, Neil Barrett, Leon Constantine and Mark Beesley were all dropped and Duane Courtney, Peter Till, Jonathan Smith, Michael Gash and Rankine recalled.

The Minstermen attacked towards their favoured home end in the first-half and Smith had a 20-yard drive parried by ex-Morecambe goalkeeper Ryan Robinson inside the opening sixty seconds. Danny Racchi also found Robinson’s clutches from greater distance ten minutes later before York took the lead on the half-hour.

Returning striker Gash started it with an inviting through ball that allowed Till to cross for Rankine to have a low cross-shot blocked by Robinson at the expense of a corner. And from that Gethin Jones was adjudged to have handled a David McGurk shot-on-the-turn inside the area. Rankine easily sent Robinson the wrong way from the penalty to claim York’s first opening-half goal in eight games at home this season.

Midfielder Alex Lawless then had a free-kick blocked by the defensive wall before Rankine laid off for Till’s cross to set up a far post header from Gash just before the interval.

But a dreadfully slow start from the hosts after the break soon handed the impetus back to their opponents, who were deservedly rewarded when Russell was given sufficient room to drive through a crowded area and equalise on 63 minutes.

York boss Mills made changes in a bid to revive flagging fortunes, but it was now the visitors totally in charge and Russell hoisted an attempt over the bar after James Meredith had lost possession before Ingham fell low to keep out Marc Canham.

However, that was nothing in comparison to the work of the former Northern Ireland international with four minutes remaining, as he reacted brilliantly to deny Russell from seven-yards before substitute Scott Murray fired narrowly wide sixty seconds later.

York City: Ingham, Courtney, Parslow, McGurk, Meredith, Till (Barrett 74), Lawless, Smith (Fyfield 85), Racchi, Rankine, Gash (Beesley 64)

subs (unused): Sangare, Constantine

Goals: Rankine (pen 30)

Bath City: Robinson, Simpson (J. Edwards 55), Rollo, Jones, Jombarti, Connolly, Canham, Watkins, Russell, Phillips (D. Edwards 72), Mohamed (Murray 63)

subs (unused): Harris, Mackie

Goals: Russell (63)

Ref: R. Clark

Att: 2,331 (87 Bath)

Latest News: York City were held 1-1 by Bath City in new manager Gary Mills’ first game in charge …. Michael Rankine scores his sixth goal of the season from the penalty spot but Alex Russell levels after the break …. York boss Mills later admits to feeling disappointed and relieved to escape with a draw, while claiming he needs a couple of leaders on the pitch and a smaller squad overall