Wednesday 28 March 2012

York City

So three days after the debacle at Stockport, we were at home to the last big team this season, and given we are going down the last big team for a while (barring miracle FA Cup round next year) so the visit of York City was a weird one. Really did not want to go to watch us so close after the Stockport game, sadness at seeing the last proper part of our Conference National adventure end and fear at what was to come.

Due to Sean Canham's injury, and Lee Phillips being sent to Eastleigh, we were left with the joy of Jamie Cook up front on his own, and to be fair to the powder puff fairy he actually had a decent game, and made a few challenge and even tried to win a few headers.

After the lack of fight in Stockport, we were intrigued to see what City team would turn up, and on three minutes when Marc Canham misplaced a pass straight to Matt Blair who fired straight at Glyn Garner we were beginning to fear another battering.

However, the men in stripes dug deep and showed a fighting spirit. The game did unfortunately follow the pattern of much of our games this season, lots of midfield play and sod all chances or excitement. The game got to half time and City were still drawing 0-0 to a side chasing promotion via the playoffs and who recently booked their place at the FA Trophy final at Wembley, so given our position we were relatively pleased.

Nevertheless, an attacking intent would be nice, and while I still support Adie and still want to give him time to turn it around next year in the Conference South, he has always been a negative manager, and when we are as shit as we have been this season it tends to catch us out.

Rather typically, immediately after the break, a poor bit of play by Simpson on the edge of his own box saw the long-serving full back tackled by McLaughlin who fired the ball hard and low past Garner into the bottom right hand corner of the goal, remarkably similar to Danny Lloyds goal for Lincoln.

City kept more of the ball after the goal, but failed to convert the opportunities into clear cut chances. Once again we had the comical sight of Mark Preece pushed up front in order to use his physicality. One last chance occurred just before full time, when Watkins after a scramble backheeled the ball past the goalkeeper, however, a York defender managed to hack the ball off of the line.

The game finished 1-0 to York, and my third City game in a week finished yet again without a City goal. The stripes battled well, without creating any real chances (two shots on target in 90 minutes) and the sooner this season finishes and we can begin to rebuild and begin to get excited about next season the better.

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