Football: Terrific Turley

GOAL: Christian Fox gets York City's second goal

The young marksman fired in his first senior goal on Saturday and reckons there is much more to come.

It was a goal befitting the honour of City's first of the 21st century - an impudent chip over one of football's greatest shot stoppers, Neville Southall, from more than 25 yards.

Speaking after Saturday's 2-2 draw with Torquay United, a delighted Turley, who looked to have his back to goal when he hooked the ball over his shoulder, maintained he had spotted former Everton legend Southall off his line.

"I didn't know whether he had moved back but I thought I should try a shot," revealed the pint-sized frontman. "Neville Southall is certainly a good one to score your first goal against."

Turley admitted the goal was extra sweet because just minutes earlier he had missed a gilt-edged opportunity to hand City the lead.

"It was a chance I should have put away, it came to me pretty quickly but it should have gone in so I was more than pleased to score not long after."

Now after his wonder-strike, Turley said he is keeping his fingers crossed for an extended run in the team - starting at Darlington tomorrow night

"I hope so but I will just have to wait and see what team the gaffer puts out.

"But I am confident I can score goals, especially after today.

"It is nice to get that first one out of the way, you never know when it is going to come.

"But I just have to put them away straight away and not take two or three chances.

"In this league you have got to put your first chances away. It is hard work in this division, you can never stop running but it is worth it if you get the goals at the end of the day."

Not to be outdone, midfield marvel and fellow teenager Christian Fox also bagged his first League goal with an equally stunning strike midway through the second-half.

Ironically, the ages of Fox and Turley, both 18, combined do not equal that of 41-year-old Southall.

Fox, moved into the centre of midfield due to injuries and suspensions, said he was "chuffed to bits" after scoring with a long range drive.

Now, like Turley, he would love to maintain his position at the heart of the city midfield.

"I prefer it there, you are in the game more, but players are coming back so we will have to wait and see."

City manager Neil Thompson was full of praise for his brat pack and admitted their displays had left him with a welcome selection poser for tomorrow's trip to Darlington.

"We have been down to the bare bones ,we only had two other fit pros available.

"But they have certainly put themselves in the frame for Tuesday, which is going to be another tough game.

"James performed well, he has kept the ball and worked his socks off and scored a terrific goal.

"It was on of his first starts and your fitness has got to take another notch up but he got his rewards and could have had more.

"He has set his standards now, he is young lad, not the tallest but he is tenacious player and he is not afraid to have a go."

The City chief was equally glowing in his praise for Fox and his midfield partner Lee Bullock, also 18.

"Foxy has been promising to do that all season and he has got his rewards today and I was really pleased with Lee Bullock who took everything on board when it was difficult in there because they had an extra man in the middle of the park."

Pitch inspection at Darlington

A pitch inspection will be held at 1pm tomorrow ahead of York City's trip to Darlington.

The fixture, scheduled to be City's first match of the new Millennium, was postponed on January 3 because of the state of the much maligned Feetham's pitch.

The Football League have appointed local referee Graham Laws who will carry out tomorrow's inspection, although staff at Darlington today did not think the match is in doubt despite a covering of frost.

City fans travelling to the game can find out if the match gets the green-light by logging onto the Evening Press website on www.thisisyork.co.uk tomorrow afternoon or by calling the general office at Bootham Crescent.

The game was called off earlier this month just over an hour before kick-off by referee Phil Richards.

Tommo gets positive vibes

York City manager Neil Thompson preferred to accentuate the positives despite conceding that his side should have claimed all three points against Torquay.

The City chief praised his players and the City faithful for playing their part in a barnstorming encounter that provided a glut of chances.

"Let's take the positives from the game; the young ones came on a bomb today, there was a good atmosphere, played at a good tempo and while a 2-2 draw is not what we would have liked it is better than getting beat, that is for sure.

"We could have killed the game first half but to be fair the lads worked their socks off.

"The crowd got behind us and we didn't hear any boos, they react to people performing

"We have got to create the atmosphere for ourselves by performing right and and we got the response from supporters.

"That is what we have got to aim for, that is the level of performance we have got to look for."

Thompson admitted defender Mark Sertori was "devastated" after his error allowed Torquay's Tony Bedeau in for an equaliser 11 minutes from time.

"I thought he and Barry Jones had done well. They attacked the ball and looked positive, they didn't let the ball bounce as much but it was a mistake that cost us.

"We have got to get rid of them because they are proving very costly and it is another game gone where we haven't got a win."

Thompson, who revealed he had come off because his calf had tightened up, said he was delighted to see his replacement, Craig Skinner, make his first appearance of an injury-plagued season

"It has been a long way back for Craig, he has not had the best of luck with injuries, but he is working his way back.

"He is still not there 90-minutes fitness wise but that will have done him the world of good."

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