York City moved back into the play-offs with a first victory in four games after defeating Curzon Ashton 2-1 at Bootham Crescent.
The Minstermen seized an early advantage through leading goalscorer Jon Parkin before defender Daniel Parslow headed a second prior to the break.
However, City were never as convincing following the interval and Joe Guest soon pulled a goal back for the visitors from around twenty-yards.
Manager Martin Gray earlier made three changes from the latest debacle against Tamworth, with full debuts for recent arrivals Gary Martin and Daniel Rowe. There was also a timely return for fit-again defender Hamza Bencherif.
Former skipper Simon Helsop was left out of the sixteen altogether, while England ‘C’ international David Ferguson served a single-game suspension and on loan striker James Gray switched to the bench.
Curzon were missing their seven-goal leading marksman Niall Cummins, who netted in both FA Cup ties against City last season. He was instead attending his brother’s wedding.
York uncharacteristically decided to attack towards their favoured home end in the opening half, with Parkin soon curling an effort wide. Adriano Moke’s shot from outside the area was next turned aside by diving goalkeeper Cameron Mason.
Moke’s surging break then witnessed Aidan Connolly’s attempt being fended away by Mason, until newcomer Martin escaped onto Parkin’s flick and offered the veteran goalscorer an easy tap-in for his eleventh of the season.
Daniel Shaw headed over from skipper Guest’s corner at the other end before Martin replied with a 25-yard effort wide of the mark. Connolly was similarly off-target from distance on the break, although the hosts still extended their advantage with Parslow heading in Sean Newton’s corner.
Newton’s shot was then blocked by the legs of keeper Mason, whose opposite number Bailey Peacock-Farrell superbly turned over Shaw’s header following a corner delivered by Guest. Shaw also speculatively drove wide from distance.
Connolly was next pushed on the edge of the area and Newton’s free-kick parried aside, while there were visiting calls for a penalty following a challenge before Parkin spurned another decent opportunity during two minutes of added time.
The Nash’s Ben Wharton was comfortably wayward straight after the break. But Guest was soon allowed to advance and curl beyond static on loan keeper Peacock-Farrell and into the top corner to suddenly reduce the deficit.
York immediately withdrew Connolly for Amari Morgan-Smith, while Peacock-Farrell was almost caught out when attempting to dribble past an opponent. The impressive Martin next hooked over at the other end before James Baillie’s response proved nothing other than weak.
The Minstermen made another couple of changes with Theo Wharton and on loan Torquay United loanee Gray replacing the limping Moke and Parkin, before skipper Newton saw a brace of further attempts gathered.
However, the hosts were never as threatening as prior to the break, with their assembled faithful once again subjected to another tense finale – although in fairness their opponents were always restricted in attack.
York City: Peacock-Farrell, Law, Parslow, Bencherif, Whittle, Moke (Wharton 69), Rowe, Newton, Connolly (Morgan-Smith 58), Parkin (Gray 71), Martin
subs (unused): Sukar, Simpson
Goals: Parkin (17), Parslow (32)
Curzon Ashton: Mason, Shaw, Guest, Regan, Howson, Rowney, Clark (Crothers 82), Baillie, Wright, Wharton (McKenzie 76), Baker
subs (unused): Thornley, Hunt, Nuttall
Goals: Guest (56)
Ref: D. McNamara
Att: 2,146 (34 Curzon Ashton)
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