A much improved second-half display earned York City a third successive home victory against Hayes & Yeading United at Bootham Crescent.
The introduction of substitute Michael Gash shortly after the break appeared to spark the previously lethargic hosts into sudden action, and Michael Rankine soon opened the scoring with his fourth goal of the campaign before full debutant Leon Constantine later added a second.
The first-half had by contrast proved a total non-event, with the visitors having the vast majority of possession, although their nice approach work failed to actually create much by way of opportunities.
Indeed York fashioned the best two chances. David McGurk had a tenth-minute header blocked by ex-Barnet keeper Lee Harrison following an inviting cross from the left by new signing Danny Racchi, while Peter Till’s lively break witnessed a Neil Barrett corner eventually being met by a looping Rankine header onto the top of the crossbar.
Hayes & Yeading were much neater in their approach play but restricted to a succession of wayward efforts, with their new loan signing Liam Enver-Marum, Andy Yiadom, Jamie Hand and Ahmed Deen each missing the target.
Attacking their favoured home end after the break, York began with more purpose and their most dangerous player Till twice shot wide following his switch to the left flank, while Deen and ex-City midfielder Peter Holmes both drilled over at the opposite end.
However, the introduction of Gash on 52 minutes appeared to significantly lift the home side. Within four minutes they went ahead when Rankine chested down a ball forward from Danny Parslow and drove firmly inside Harrison’s right-hand post.
Gash almost sent in Rankine for a second sixty seconds later, and the former Rushden & Diamonds striker soon dragged another attempt wide before neat build up work then ended with Barrett directing an effort past the post.
The Minstermen went further ahead on 73 minutes when Constantine hooked the ball over his shoulder and into the corner after Gash had headed back a cross from the overlapping Duane Courtney.
Substitute Michael Malcolm immediately headed over in reply for the visitors, while the busy Hand also sent an attempt wide.
Meanwhile, Rankine shrugged off a couple of challenges but only succeeded in finding the side-netting as the home side now remained in charge.
York City: Ingham, Courtney, Parslow, McGurk, Meredith, Till, Lawless, Barrett, Racchi (Gash 52), Rankine, Constantine (Smith 81)
subs (unused): Knight, Young, McDermott
Goals: Rankine (56), Constantine (73)
Hayes & Yeading United: Harrison, Ferrell (Mulley 78), Cadmore, Bygrave, Deen, Hand, Brown, Holmes, Pritchard, Yiadom (Malcolm 64), Enver-Marum (Buchanan 86)
subs (unused): Lennie, Appiah
Ref: P. Hodskinson (Preston)
Att: 2,252 (17 Hayes & Yeading)
Share this article
Related Articles
