City fire too many blanks

New striker Alex Mathie failed to get his City career off to a flying start with a goal, but showed enough guile and hunger to suggest scoring will no longer be the dilemma.

But, rather like owning a Ferrari yet not being able to drive, City now have a goal threat but without the right service it will remain just that.

In midfield, Steve Agnew is guaranteed to find feet with his carefully considered passing. But someone willing to go past a player, to turn the opposition, to up the tempo when City go forward and deliver a telling ball rather than a hopeful one, was notable by his absence on Saturday.

For much of the second-half City, their confidence obviously at a low ebb, dominated possession but frustratingly no one seemed willing, capable, of grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck and too often the ball was simply pumped into the box in hope.

The one time after the break City did pass the ball with real purpose and zip they were nearly rewarded with a goal - Jordan slicing open the Hartlepool defence with a decisive pass that Mathie latched onto with glee but from a tight angle slammed the ball into the side netting.

But other than that, and a chance Mathie created for himself in the opening quarter, City created very little.

Nor, however, did Hartlepool. City goalkeeper Alan Fettis little to do over the 90 minutes and the City defence were not often over-stretched. But their wing-backs dominated City's and their crosses were more telling, their threat when it reared its head more real.

City's best chances to score came early.

Agnew nearly capitalised on United's keeper Anthony Williams' hurried clearance, but with the goal gaping the City midfielder's sidefoot was accurate but lacked power and Williams was able to scamper across to divert the danger.

New boy Mathie looked particularly lively dropping deep and linking the play. His close control looked a division above.

He threatened to make himself an instant hero when dogged persistence saw him squeeze between Gary Strodder and Steve Baker.

The ball ran kindly for the York hitman but Williams came off his line sharply to spread himself and deny Mathie a dream start.

Mark Sertori did well to head out from under the bar Darren Knowles' dangerous cross after being played in by former City winger Paul Stephenson down the right and gradually Hartlepool's superiority on the flanks - especially on left - started to look telling.

Sam Shilton delivered a superb low cross that dissected the City defence. Henderson stuck out a leg but could only direct the ball into the arms of Fettis.

Hartlepool's supplier-in-chief delivered another fine cross from the left with Henderson again the recipient but this time the striker could only glance his header wide.

One sensed Mathie was casting envious eyes at the opposite end of the field as the crosses continued to flow.

Shilton, this time from a corner, delivered yet another great cross but Chris Westwood somehow conspired to head over from all of five yards.

Still Fettis was rarely called into any serious action but just as the game, much to City's benefit, was starting to lull Pool took the lead.

Tony Lormor's sharp shot on the turn was spilled by Fettis but fortunately for City the loose ball ran the wrong side of Henderson.

However, City were made to pay for never truly clearing their lines as the ball was worked back down the right and Paul Arnison fired in a low cross to the far post.

An unmarked Henderson, still loitering at the far post, had an easy tap-in.

Having gone behind, one feared City would struggle to score and so it proved.

Despite plenty of possession from here on in they failed to muster another effort on target and with City dominating possession the second-half was largely devoid of incident.

City's approach play was neat but too often too slow and from good positions possession was too easily squandered.

The one time they moved forward with passes to feet and at pace was when Jordan played in Mathie. It was still a difficult chance but showed City the way forward.

But as City pressed Hartlepool took advantage of the spaces left and threatened to double their advantage - Lormor firing in a shot from 20 yards straight at Fettis, the City keeper tipping over Tommy Miller's rising drive before substitute Tim Sperrivik slammed another effort straight at the City number one, who grabbed the ball at the second attempt.

City's misery was compounded when Mark Sertori received his marching orders with just ten minutes to go for a double-footed challenge on Hartlepool's goalscorer Henderson.

City had a right to feel hard done by, especially when Sperrivik perpetrated a similar tackle from behind on Wayne Hall moments later but received only yellow.

But even if Hartlepool had been reduced to ten it probably wouldn't have made a difference. The Minstermen kept plugging away but without someone to fashion chances persistence was never going to be enough to earn a point.

City Match Facts

Nationwide LeagueDivision Three

Saturday, September 30, 2000

Hartlepool Utd 1, York City 0

YORK CITY: Alan Fettis 9, Darren Edmondson 5, Barry Jones 5, Matt Hocking 7, Mark Sertori 7, Wayne Hall 6, Steve Agnew 7, Scott Jordan 6, (Graham Potter 81), Lee Bullock 5, Alex Mathie 7, David McNiven 6 (John Williams 57, 6)

Subs, not used: Russ Howarth, Martin Reed, Marc Thompson

Booked: Hocking 9min (foul)

Sent off: Sertori 80min (serious foul play)

HARTLEPOOL: Anthony Williams, Darren Knowles, Gary Strodder, Chris Westwood, Steven Baker, Sam Shilton, Tommy Miller, Paul Arnison (Craig Midgley 75), Paul Stephenson, Tony Lormor (Tim Sperrivik 76), Kevin Henderson (Mark Robinson 87)

Subs, not used: Chris Porter, James Sharp

Booked: Lormor 42 mins (foul), Sperrivik 87 mins (foul)

Sent off: None

Evening Press/Unique Pub Man of the Match: MATT HOCKING

Another promising display. Made a number of impressive headers and interceptions.

Match Stats

York

Half-time 0

Corners 2

Shots on target 2

Fouls committed 12

Hartlepool

Half-time 1

Corners 7

Shots on target 6

Fouls committed 16

Attendance: 3,130

Referee: Mark Cowburn (Blackpool)

City's next match: Friday, October 6: York City v Mansfield Town ko 7.45pm. Nationwide League Division Three.