Lady Luck refuses to smile on struggling Minstermen

Let's hope the former Fulham chief stayed clear of the bookmaker.

The season is less than ten games old so it is perhaps still too early to write off the Minstermen just yet, but the pre-season optimism has quickly evaporated.

An injury-ravaged City have played a lot worse than they did on Saturday and for spells in the first half looked a side not short of promise.

But that much sought-after yet not easily defined spark is clearly missing.

One senses - hopes - City are just a slice of Lady Luck short of good times and a return to winning ways.

Yet she is rarely around when sides are struggling in the lower reaches of the basement division but needs to be found quickly to placate the frustration of the City faithful and kick-start a concerted climb up the table.

Certainly, the disappointment of City going in at half-time a goal down was tempered by an absorbing opening 45 minutes of ebb and flow.

But for the intervention of the woodwork on three occasions, Brighton's lead could have been more commanding.

Yet York were not without chances and had Scott Jordan buried a gilt-edged opportunity on the stroke of half-time things may well have turned out differently.

Brighton's love affair with the post and bar began on eight minutes when Richard Carpenter's fierce 25-yard free-kick cannoned back off the post.

Charlie Oatway returned the loose ball with and this time it was Paul Watson who was left cursing his luck as the crossbar intervened to prevent his header from handing Albion the lead.

But City were more than holding their own against their fluid visitors and the new strike partnership of David McNiven and John Williams was looking particularly hopeful.

McNiven swivelled and pulled an effort just wide before Williams headed Wayne Hall's deep cross into the arms of Brighton keeper Mark Cartwright.

The rattling of their woodwork aside, City were starting to look in control as Steve Agnew switched the play with an inch-perfect crossfield pass into the path of Darren Edmondson.

The full-back played a one-two with Williams before feeding Bullock, whose half-volley from the edge of the area was comfortably saved by Cartwright.

But back came Brighton and the woodwork as Alan Fettis produced the first of a number of fine saves to tip Paul Rogers' delicate effort onto the bar.

City were back under the cosh and Fettis was soon in the action again to deny Nathan Jones' firm header and then grasp Carpenter's stinging 30-yard effort.

Almost immediately Williams found himself in the clear racing on to a forward header but while he managed to lift the ball over Cartwright he also beat the bar.

As has happened all too often already this season, a City miss is soon followed by a telling opposition riposte and Brighton proved themselves the norm rather than the exception.

Bobby Zamora was coming back from an offside position when Gary Hart's attempted through-ball hit the retreating striker and fell into the path of Nathan Jones.

The City defence, who had stepped up on account of Zamora, were nowhere to be seen as the former Southend United player strode on unopposed to push the ball past Fettis at the second attempt.

Brighton upped the ante and the fear was a rocked City would capitulate just as they had done at Exeter a week earlier.

Deep breaths were needed but Brighton offered little respite as Jones wriggled his way through a crowd of City players before firing an effort straight at Fettis.

Gradually, City restored calm and should have restored parity just minutes before the break when McNiven backed into the Brighton box before laying the ball off to Jordan.

Eight yards out, the midfielder picked his spot and the ball seemed destined for the bottom corner only for Cartwright to stick out a hand and deny City an equaliser.

During the break, Terry Dolan shuffled his pack replacing defender Barry Jones for striker James Turley as City started the second-half with renewed vigour.

Turley's goal-bound shot was blocked by Matthew Wicks, Scott Jordan fired a 25-yard fizzer over the bar before Williams, latching on to Bullock's pass, had Cartwright at full stretch.

But the more City tried to maintain a frantic pace the more their football degenerated and it was an increasingly assured Brighton who looked the more likely to score.

Still, City almost grabbed an equaliser when McNiven's cross was met by Turley at the far post.

His looping header beat Cartwright but Danny Cullip was on hand to head the ball off the line.

City's misery was all but sealed on 71 minutes when Edmondson received his marching orders for an unsavoury outburst directed at the referee's assistant.

More galling for York and manager Dolan was that City had been awarded the throw-in when Edmondson's tongue got the better of him.

Credit to City for refusing to buckle but with Brighton happy to get bodies behind the ball the onus was on York to carve out an opening and too often attacks floundered because of a sloppy pass or the lack of a telling ball.

Indeed, as City huffed and puffed Brighton were only prevented from doubling their advantage by Fettis who produced two terrific saves to deny Lee Steele, the first a blast from 12 yards then a sharp turn and shot on the edge of the six-yard box.

City Match Facts

Nationwide LeagueDivision Three

Saturday, September 23, 2000

York City 0, Brighton 1

YORK CITY: Alan Fettis 9, Darren Edmondson 5, Mark Sertori 6, Barry Jones 5 (James Turley 46mins 6), Matt Hocking 7, Wayne Hall 6, Lee Bullock 6, Scott Jordan 6, Steve Agnew 7 (Marc Thompson 69mins, 6), David McNiven 6, John Williams 6 (Colin Alcide 62mins 6)

Subs, not used: Russ Howarth, Martin Reed

Booked: Hall, 25min (dissent), Agnew, 36mins (foul)

Sent off: Edmondson, 71mins (foul and abusive language)

BRIGHTON: Mark Cartwright, Paul Watson, Kerry Mayo, Danny Cullip, Paul Rogers, Gary Hart (Lee Steele 65mins), Charlie Oatway, Richard Carpenter, Nathan Jones (Paul Brooker 60mins), Matthew Wicks, Bobby Zamora (Andy Crosby 78mins)

Subs, not used: Rod Thomas, Steve Melton

Booked: Mayo, 67mins (foul)

Sent off: None

Scorers: Jones, 33mins

Evening Press/Unique Pub Man of the Match: ALAN FETTIS

The City 'keeper earned his corn with a string of fine saves and was unlucky not to deny Jones his winner. Two stops in particular were of international class.

Match Stats

York

Half-time 0

Corners 7

Shots on target 6

Fouls committed 14

Brighton

Half-time 1

Corners 6

Shots on target 9

Fouls committed 10

Attendance: 3,178

Referee: Brian Curson (Hinckley)

City's next match: Saturday, September 30: Hartlepool v York City, ko 3pm. Nationwide League Division Three.