City end away-day blues

And if that wasn't sweet enough, the first time City have scored three times in a match for 14 months.

Most City followers would gladly have settled for a dour 1-0 victory prior to kick-off. When you're near the foot of the table the result is all-important.

But City did more than scrape a win and were good value for their three points.

A controversial late penalty ensured a fretful finale until substitute David McNiven made sure of the points in injury time but the Minstermen for the most part always looked in control.

Indeed, the only sour point was that City didn't score more against, defensively at least, a woeful Halifax side.

Every-time York progressed with any purpose, the Shaymen creaked, as secure as their half-built stand.

One minute was still not on the clock when Darren Edmondson evaded the tackle of former York midfielder Mark Bradshaw to deliver a fine cross from the right.

Neil Tarrant climbed highest but seemed caught in two minds as to whether to head for goal or back across the face of it and in the end did neither.

The simple welly over the top looked equally efficient against a Halifax defence playing like a rabbit trapped in headlights.

Alan Fettis's long clearance was knocked on by Steve Agnew. The Halifax defence stood motionless, allowing Alex Mathie to pounce and hook the ball over a stranded Lee Butler in the Town goal only for the ball come back off the post.

A minute later - the action matching the constant rain - Halifax almost snatched the lead but Fettis produced an acrobatic save to turn Mark Bradshaw's curling 25-yard free-kick.

For ten minutes or so, Halifax were dominant but just as they started to look a half-decent side in possession, York started to win the second ball and showed the way forward again with a series of telling crosses that ultimately reaped rich rewards.

Carving open Halifax's soft centre, Graham Potter put the ball in at the near post for Mathie, who turned and pulled it back carefully for Agnew arriving on the edge of the area only for the City skipper to pull his stiff drive wide.

On 18 minutes, Agnew won possession from a docile Carl Rezai. His cross was missed by Chris Wilder at the far post but fell behind Tarrant, who did well to get a shot in on the turn, albeit straight at Butler.

Two minutes later and City's confidence to play the ball was finally rewarded.

Potter produced a clever turn and nutmeg to get past Robert Herbert and delivered another fine ball to the back post that Halifax were grateful to put behind for a corner.

From Kieron Durkan's out-swinger, Mark Sertori emerged unopposed six yards out to casually side-foot the ball into the corner of the net.

Halifax rallied briefly but were too slow and cumbersome to cause concern.

Meanwhile, City's widemen of Potter and Durkan became more prominent and it was another Durkan delivery that paved the way for City's second on 35 minutes.

His free-kick from midway inside the Halifax half was delivered with pace. The Shaymen defence parted and allowed Lee Bullock a free header that Butler could only push on to the post before the ball squirmed across the line.

As confidence flowed that longed sought after third goal looked almost inevitable. However, right on cue Neville Stamp proved a timely reminder for those who chose to count their chickens by almost slicing an innocuous looking cross into his own net just as the half-time whistle blew.

After the break, Halifax had little choice but to chase the game and should have narrowed the arrears just five minutes in when Herbert found space in between Hocking and Stamp to latch onto Steve Thompson's through-ball.

His cross-cum-shot evaded the outstretched hand of Fettis and fortunately for City the boot of Gary Jones at the far post.

Probably City's best move involving one-touch football from back to front by Edmondson and Mathie saw Potter curl a fine effort just over the bar before Tarrant, played in by substitute David McNiven, saw his effort blocked on the line by Stuart Parnaby.

But just as thoughts turned to the Minstermen recording their first clean sheet since September so Halifax were handed, literally, a lifeline.

Sertori, who hardly put a foot wrong all night, certainly laid a hand on Bradshaw as he tried to squirm past City's rugged defender but his dramatic tumble suggested he had been felled by Mike Tyson.

Paul Stoneman made no mistake from the spot and instead of being home and dry fingers were being crossed that City could hold on.

Yet City did more than hang on.

Sure, Fettis produced another remarkable save to deny Jones' crashing shot on the turn but it was City who looked the team most likely to score.

Potter fired over the bar again before Tennant just failed to lift the ball over Butler yet both players were able to make amends in the dying embers and help seal City's victory.

Potter cleared from deep to send Tarrant in the clear. The young striker drew Halifax's last line of defence before squaring the ball to McNiven, who drilled it into the corner for his fifth goal in nine outings.

The mass exodus of the Halifax faithful said it all.

City Match Facts

Nationwide League Division Three

Tuesday, October 24, 2000

Halifax Town 1, York City 3

YORK CITY: Alan Fettis 8, Darren Edmondson 7, Mark Sertori 8, Matt Hocking 7, Neville Stamp 7, Kieron Durkan 7, Steve Agnew 7, Lee Bullock 7 (Scott Jordan 61mins, 6), Neil Tarrant 7, Alex Mathie 7 (David McNiven 70mins, 7), Graham Potter 7

Subs, not used: Russ Howarth, Martin Reed, Barry Conlon

Bookings: Agnew 41mins (foul)

Sent-off: None.

Scorers: Sertori 20mins, Bullock 35, McNiven 90

HALIFAX TOWN: Lee Butler, Chris Wilder, Graham Mitchell (Ian Richards 46mins), Paul Stoneman, Robert Herbert, Carl Rezai, Steve Thompson (Lee Potter 80mins), Stuart Parnaby, Mark Bradshaw, Robbie Painter (Steve Oleksewycz 61mins), Gary Jones

Subs, not used: Tony Parks, Mark Jules

Bookings: Herbert 45mins (foul), Stoneman 76mins (foul)

Sent-off: None

Scorer: Stoneman 79 mins (pen)

Evening Press/Unique Pub Man of the Match: Mark Sertori Towering presence and capped a rock solid display with City's opening goal. Was hard done by to be penalised with a penalty.

Match Stats

York

Half-time 2

Corners 4

Shots on target 9

Fouls committed 10

Match Stats

Halifax

Half-time 0

Corners 7

Shots on target 7

Fouls committed 10

Attendance: 1,984

Referee: Howard Webb (Rotherham)

City's next match:

Saturday, October 28: York City v Hull City at Bootham Crescent, ko 3pm. Nationwide League Division Three.