Football: York City 2, Torquay 2

GOAL: Christian Fox gets York City's second goal to give them a 2-1 lead against Torquay at Bootham Crescent on Saturday.

The play was not always of the highest quality but at least it was a match packed with incident, passion and goals, things that have often been in short supply at Bootham Crescent this season.

Once again injuries and suspensions meant that Neil Thompson was forced to give youth its fling and once again City's teenage terriers did not let anyone down.

Indeed, goalscorers Christian Fox and James Turley were City's brightest sparks while fellow 18-year-old Lee Bullock was full of industry, underlining his potential with another mature display.

City fans should especially be toasting the sweet wine of youth because without it no doubt Turley would not have had the audacity to lob a true goalkeeping great in Neville Southall from all of 25 yards.

Not only that, he had his back to goal and came just minutes after he missed the sort of opportunity that would have cracked the confidence of the most senior of strikers.

Yet before Turley's wonder strike, Torquay could have been 2-0 up within five minutes.

Kevin Hill swung a fine cross into the box for Tony Bedeau to head straight into the arms of Bobby Mimms before an equally inviting cross from Mick O'Brien handed the striker a swift opportunity to make amends. Fortunately for City, his second effort was even more feeble than the first.

The Minstermen struggled to get a grip of the ball until on 13 minutes Fox pinched possession on the half-way line and fired in a low cross that beat the despairing dive of Southall.

The ball hit Wayne Thomas and rolled into the path of Turley on the edge of the six-yard box.

The youngster seemed surprised to suddenly have the ball at his feet and could only nudge it forward, allowing Thomas to clear the danger when a more definite touch would surely have broken the deadlock.

We didn't have long to wait.

This time it was Thomas who failed to make any real connection with a clearance from a high ball yet there seemed little danger, especially after Turley's first touch left much to be desired.

But as the ball bounced up the youngster, as quick as a flash, hooked it over his shoulder. Time seemed to stand still as it sailed gloriously over a stranded Southall and nestled in the net.

Less than ten minutes later and Barry Conlon should have doubled City's advantage.

A long clearance from skipper Barry Jones split the Torquay defence and left Conlon in the clear.

The Irish striker dallied just a fraction too long however and although he squeezed the ball under the advancing Southall it rolled the wrong side of the upright.

With City's luck as it is now, such a glaring miss offered a cue for a Torquay equaliser.

Mimms pulled off a stunning save at the near post from Chris Brandon's snap shot but could only stand and stare as moments later Torquay playmaker Brian Healy curled a delightful 20-yard effort into the top left hand corner.

City were on the rack again and had Mimms to thank for ensuring half-time parity when the veteran 'keeper flicked Griffiths' fierce rising drive onto the bar.

In the second-half, the game continued to ebb and flow.

After a neat one-two with Lee Bullock on the half-way line, John Williams sprinted clear only for his near-post effort to cannon off Southall's legs before Thompson flashed a piercing effort just wide from nigh on 30 yards.

Healy then tried his luck from range but failed to trouble the City goal before a slip from Williams let O'Brien in but his delicate chip lacked pace and proved an easy save for Mimms.

But just as City seemed set to crumble under Torquay's sustained possession up popped Fox and the wonderment of youth.

The teenager picked up the ball some 35-yards out, skipped past one defender, dropped his shoulder to beat one more, turned one way then another before stroking an arrow-like drive into the bottom corner.

It was a goal that deserved to be a match winner. Unfortunately, and in the cruellest of circumstances, it wasn't to be.

Wayne Hall's low cross was cut out by Alex Watson leaving Thomas to hack the ball clear.

Eifion Williams flicked the ball on but straight to Mark Sertori.

The City centre-back had time but made a hash of his clearance which was charged down by Bedeau, who galloped away to rifle past Mimms.

Still City had a chance to grab a winner.

Another low cross-cum-shot from Hall beat Southall and seemed to require only the slightest touch from substitute Marc Williams, who lunged forward.

Inexplicably, it was Williams who ended up in the net and not the ball and Watson, still grounded on the floor, swept it clear.

That miss and the manner of Torquay's equaliser left a nagging sense of disappointment.

But that in itself should be something for City to cling too in such difficult times.

Nationwide Division Three: Saturday, January 15, 2000

York City 2 Torquay 2

YORK CITY: Bobby Mimms 7, Matt Hocking 6, Neil Thompson 7 (Craig Skinner 88min), Mark Sertori 5, Barry Jones 7, Christian Fox 8, Lee Bullock 7, John Williams 7, Barry Conlon 6, James Turley 8 (Marc Williams 83min), Wayne Hall 7.

Subs unused: Russ Howarth, Martin Reed, Andrew Dawson.

Goals: Turley 16min, Fox 70min

Bookings: Conlon 49min, dissent; Turley 58min, unsporting behaviour; J Williams 72min dissent.

CHRISTIAN FOX: Just shaded fellow teenager and goalscorer James Turley for the accolade. Tenacious display in the centre of midfield capped by a fine individual goal. Looked a real class act.

Torquay United: Neville Southall, Kevin Hill (Mark Platts 75min), Paul Holmes, Lee Russell, Wayne Thomas, Alex Watson, Brian Healy, Chris Brandon, Mick O'Brien, Tony Bedeau, Michael Griffiths (Eifion Williams 75min).

Subs unused: Jimmy Aggrey, O'Neill Donaldson, Ryan Northmore.

Goals: Healy 41min, Bedeau 79min.

Bookings: None.

Referee: Trevor Jones (Barrow-in-Furness)

Crowd: 2,427

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.