Thrills, spills, shots and success

AFTER four successive defeats a win and three points was supposed to be the be-all and end-all.

But York City achieved more than that last night, providing a stirring comeback, thrills and spills, shots galore, chances aplenty and the return of optimism to Bootham Crescent.

Significantly, also returning was the art of wing play - absent for too long - and telling crosses that reaped rewards with two goals.

Wayne Hall and Darren Edmondson got forward more last night playing as orthodox full-backs than on their combined outings as wing-backs.

On the left of midfield, Graham Potter had probably his best game yet in a City shirt, a hat-trick of carefully executed crosses in the opening ten minutes providing a perfect platform.

And on the right was new loan ranger Keiron Durkan. How refreshing it was to see a wideman take a pass and get on his bike.

No dallying, no indecision - Durkan knows only one way and also provides a genuine goal threat from midfield.

To cap an entertaining night, City's two strikers also got themselves on the scoresheet.

It's difficult to recall the last time that happened but both Alex Mathie and David McNiven deserved their goals, Mathie especially.

His link play and vision were a class above, his shooting from distance impressive and his predator instincts inside the box obvious.

And yet for a night that finished on a high City could not have started more badly.

Less than two minutes were on the clock when Matt Hocking stalled on a clearance from a Mansfield throw. Micky Boulding needed no second invitation to seize on the loose ball and slam it home at the near post.

One goal down could very easily have become two when Darrell Clarke roasted Alan Fettis's fingertips on a cold night with another fierce near-post effort.

And yet while the defence looked decidedly shaky, City were playing well when they went forward; switching play, passing to feet and despite being a goal down looking a side transformed from that which took to the field at Hartlepool just a week earlier.

Their swift and incisive forays were finally rewarded on 18 minutes with a deserved equaliser.

Debutant Durkan swung the ball in from a corner, Lee Bullock glanced it on at the near post and McNiven, perhaps the smallest man on the field, nodded it home unopposed from just six yards.

Mansfield could have restored their lead as the half-hour mark approached but Mark Blake headed wide when it looked easier to score.

And Hocking made up for his earlier error with a finely-timed tackle to deny Boulding a second goal as the sharpshooter got ready to pull the trigger.

But it was the Stags who spent much of the half on the back foot as Bobby Mimms, the ex-City keeper, was by far the busier shot-stopper; twice denying two curling efforts from distance by Mathie while also parrying a stinging Durkan drive at the near post.

While the first half had proved itself a great advert for Third Division football, the second took time to slip into gear.

City's rhythm was perhaps disrupted by the withdrawal of an injured Hall forcing Terry Dolan to drop Potter in at left-back, pull McNiven out wide and push substitute Colin Alcide up front.

But gradually City warmed to the task.

Bullock, who turned in one of his best performances, hit the bar with an effort from distance before Mathie, latching on to Bullock's carefully weighted pass, coolly slotted home on 58 minutes only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

It did not matter, as three minutes later City were in front.

Mathie tried to play Agnew in on goal on the edge of the area but the ball ran too wide for the City skipper, who was forced to retrieve it before delivering a inch perfect cross that allowed Mathie to stoop and conquer.

Chances at both ends now started to flow.

Clarke hit the side-netting first then forced Fettis into action with a snap shot while Mimms had to use his feet to deny Durkan.

Fettis then produced one of the saves of the season to deny Chris Greenacre's expertly executed overhead kick.

It ensured a frantic, nerve-frayed finale but in truth City should have extended their lead, the woodwork denying a curling teaser from Agnew before Alcide contrived to shoot over the bar from under it.