O's stunned by solo strike

The 21-year-old striker picked a loose ball up 30 yards out and weaved a spot of magic before cutting onto his left foot and drilling a fine shot into the bottom right corner from inside the 'D'.

Tarrant, who signed on a month's loan from Aston Villa on Wednesday, was making his Football League debut, having originally made his name north of the border. And what a way to start his first-team career in England.

His goal, coming as it did 15 minutes from time, could prove crucial for City, as it earned only their fourth point from eight games and prevented what would have been a third straight defeat.

The Minster-men had fallen behind on 36 minutes when Orient's so-called 'G-Force' struck.

Five-goal Carl Griffiths played in fellow striker Richard Garcia who, with the City defence caught flat-footed, ran clear from half-way to fire home his fourth goal of the campaign since moving on loan from West Ham United. His unstoppable 20-yard shot into the top left corner gave 'keeper Alan Fettis no chance.

The Minstermen had started the brighter side, indeed in the first half-hour it was hard to believe that they had started the game fourth from bottom while the O's had been fourth from top.

However, by the final whistle, the hosts were thankful for some wasteful finishing by the visitors, most notably by Griffiths, who failed to find the target with a hat-trick of gilt-edged chances as City pushed forward in search of the equaliser and, later, a winner.

The former Manchester City striker - normally one of the most reliable finishers in Division Three - volleyed over from ten yards on the hour-mark when Garcia had tried to repay the compliment, and he side-footed a great 89th-minute opportun- ity wide of the far right post after his 19-year-old striking partner had again played him in.

His third great chance came at the end of normal time, when his right-footed drive from the right side of the box, following Andy Harris' fine play, was blocked for a corner by Fettis.

Rueing these misses, Orient boss Tommy Taylor claimed his team had dropped two points rather than gained one, although luck was on their side when Tarrant broke into the area in the 85th minute.

The big striker had turned his man superbly on the edge of the box and, despite being pulled back, had wrestled his way clear with just the 'keeper to beat. However, referee Colin Webster was too quick on the whistle in penalising the defender, and City's free-kick from 20 yards out came to nothing.

Although Orient might have created the best openings, the home side played the more attractive football, especially in an enterprising opening half-hour. But, as has been the case all too often this season, they were again unable to find a telling final ball in the last third of the pitch.

Neville Stamp, having his best game for the club, could have played in Alex Mathie after just two minutes and although the move stuttered, it ended with Steve Agnew getting in a shot.

Mathie headed goalwards from Graham Potter's cross on ten minutes, and soon after, Tarrant found himself all alone inside the area only to be halted by a linesman's flag.

Darren Edmondson - back in the side after suspension and giving the team better balance at right-back - played in Potter, whose miscued cross-shot rolled tamely into 'keeper Ashley Bayes' arms at the near post, while a driven cross by Kieron Durkan was cut out just before reaching Mathie or Tarrant.

Orient had only troubled the City goal with long-range efforts but the game changed after Garcia struck, with the visitors' confidence increasing and City's perhaps going the other way.

However, the Minstermen came out for the second half with renewed vigour and within five minutes both Tarrant and then substitute Christian Fox saw well-worked drives blocked by Bayes in the space of 30 seconds.

Terry Dolan's men could have been caught out at the back as they occasionally left the new centre-half pairing of Martin Reed and in-form Matt Hocking unprotected.

But the duo both had impressive games barring the goal, and the latter made a superb saving tackle to prevent Garcia making it two on 57 minutes.

Another goal always looked likely, and thankfully for the Bootham Crescent faithful, it came at the right end as Tarrant made his mark.

Stamp went close to adding another on 86 minutes when his ambitious drive from outside the left corner of Orient's box fizzed goalwards only to be turned past the far post by a diving Bayes, while at the other end a back-peddling Fettis tipped over a 30-yard curler by O's substitute Steve Watts.

The game by no means petered out, but no more goals were forthcoming and the spoils had to be shared.

City Match Facts

Nationwide League Division Three

Saturday, October 21, 2000

York City 1, Leyton Orient 1

YORK CITY: Alan Fettis 7; Darren Edmondson 7, Matt Hocking 7, Martin Reed 7, Neville Stamp 8; Kieron Durkan 6 (David McNiven 79mins), Steve Agnew 6, Lee Bullock 6 (Christian Fox HT, 7), Graham Potter 7; Alex Mathie 7 (Barry Conlon 71mins), Neil Tarrant 7.

Subs, not used: Russell Howarth, Barry Jones.

Booked: Agnew, 64mins (foul)

Sent off: None.

Scorer: Tarrant 75mins

LEYTON ORIENT: Ashley Bayes; Matthew Joseph, Dean Smith, David McGhee, Matthew Lockwood; Ahmet Brkovic (Steve Watts 84mins), Andy Harris, Wim Walschaerts (Simon Downer 36mins), Nicky Shorey; Richard Garcia, Carl Griffiths.

Subs, not used: Scott Barrett, Billy Beall, Frederic Cadiou.

Booked: None.

Sent off: None.

Scorer: Garcia 36mins

Evening Press/Unique Pub Man of the Match: NEVILLE STAMP

City's new left-back worked hard at the back and when going forward, and nearly won the match with a rasping low drive.

Match Stats

York

Half-time 0

Corners 5

Shots on target 6

Fouls committed 14

Match Stats

Leyton Orient

Half-time 1

Corners 3

Shots on target 4

Fouls committed 12

Attendance: 2,744

Referee: Colin Webster (Shotley Bridge)

City's next match

Tuesday, October 24: Halifax Town v York City at The Shay, ko 7.45pm. Nationwide League Division Three.