Last-gasp choker for City

On the day when Independent Savings Accounts came of age, York City remain in urgent need of a strong-box without a pickable lock.

SPRING IS HERE: City midfielder Scott Jordan tangles with Matthew Spring, who scored Luton Town's equalising goal

Yes, the stoppage-time stab of a winner from Luton Town was cruelty personified, but there were self-inflicted wounds at both ends.

City fatally squandered chances not so much gilt-edged as golden ingots, which would have deposited the points in the Minstermen's meagre ledger. Most culpable were Marc Williams and Alan Pouton, who either side of Luton's 51st-minute leveller could have quietened the home momentum.

Then, at critical times, the Minstermen failed to stay strong after suggesting their defensive dawdlings were over.

The scarring upshot is that another game has ebbed away, points frittered, City trailing home empty-handed. That the display at Kenilworth Road was a vast improvement of the dog-eared effort at home to Chesterfield offered scant solace to players, management or fans.

Caretaker-boss Neil Thompson demonstrated a ruthless courage that deserved better reward than the stoppage-time kick in the teeth.

Promising changes the axe duly fell, the neck-lines of Andy Warrington, Wayne Hall, Craig Skinner and Neil Tolson feeling the steel to add to injured absentee Martin Reed.

Understandably so many switches led to an initial lack of cohesion, but City's composure grew. Youngster Matthew Hocking, making his first start, as did Andrew Dawson, was clean in the tackle at right-back, while Thompson was muscular on the other flank.

Alarm was singular. Andrew Fotiadis made a swift thrust, but his drive was blocked by Bobby Mimms on gloves-duty for the first time in six weeks.

In midfield City gained ascendancy largely through Scott Jordan applying poise and power. Then came the goal even Luton fans had to applaud once their jaws dropped back into place. From 30-yards Thompson's spry left foot smacked the ball with destructive force into the Luton net. His leap of joy was almost as much of relief as faith.

From thereon to the interval City were full value. The defence was solid, the midfield combative and the front two of Rodney Rowe and Williams, while dwarfed by their markers, busied and buzzed.

But the game's complexion was to veer wildly as Luton latched on to a tempo more turbo than turgid. Even as City caught their breath they should have gone 2-0 up, Williams scuffing wide when through.

Within a minute of that let-off Luton levelled flukily. Martin Garratt won a chase ahead of Fotiadis and Mimms. But Garratt's intervention cannoned off Fotiadis' leg and fell to Matthew Spring who sweetly lofted the ball into the unprotected net.

City's counter was robust. Thompson teased a pass out of a congested area to Pouton midway through City's half. On and on rushed Pouton, spread-eagling the Hatters' defence until he was alone with Luton custodian Kelvin Davis to beat from 15 yards. But the power-surge fizzled, the midfielder's attempted curled finish being too close to Davis.

Off the hook Luton instead prospered, notably from first-time passes over the City backline. Mimms had to earn his corn in bucket-loads, aided by the miss of the decade.

Thompson skewered a pass back to Mimms, whose hoof was charged down by Douglas. He scrambled to his feet to realise he or Zaire-born teenager Tresor Kandol could tuck the ball into the vacant net. Douglas took charge, took aim, and took the breath away as he swatted wide, the goal gaping like a gash in flesh.

Still Luton's increased pace chipped out openings. Still City defended with pluck and no small luck. Mimms headed away one raid with a bullet header then punched the ball as Douglas homed in. The best - the worst too - was to come.

Blocking from Douglas, Mimms was stranded as Jordan hoofed the ball to Kandol. But as he lobbed the ball towards the net the City 'keeper arched backwards to palm the ball behind.

But with parity within City's grasp injustice struck. Another lash down the centre and the ball reared up on the penalty-spot.

Douglas, Mimms and Hocking got entangled, the Luton man squirming free to conquer with a stooping header.

Cue another City deficit.

MATCH NOTES

3min: Luton's Phil Gray swivels away from Barry Jones, but his snap shot zips just wide.

22min: Searing low cross from Alan Pouton inches away from on-rushing Marc Williams.

23min: Recalled Bobby Mimms gets down to smother a low shot from Andrew Fotiadis. Matthew Hocking completes the clearance.

29min: Caretaker-manager Neil Thompson belts a 30-yard free-kick high into the Luton net. 0-1.

46min: Mimms acrobatically tips over swinging free-kick from Matthew Spring.

47min: From a corner City break fast through Thompson to Williams. His 50-yard dash takes him past two players, but his right-foot shot dribbles wide.

51min: Mix-up between Mimms and Martin Garratt ends with Spring lobbing the ball into an unguarded net. 1-1.

54min: Thompson releases Alan Pouton, who surges through the defence only to place his shot too close to goalkeeper Kelvin Davis.

73min: Thompson's underhit back-pass is charged down by Douglas as Mimms clears, but Douglas then spurns a sitter.

88min: Neil Tolson and Thompson combine, the latter's shot deflecting for a corner.

89min: Fantastic double-save from Mimms, the second pawing away Tresor Kandol's lob.

90min: Final thrust ends with Douglas heading home. 2-1.

TAP & SPILE MAN OF THE MATCH

Bobby Mimms: Stunning return to form. Made several crucial saves and enjoyed his best form in York colours in anticipating and cutting out passes beyond City's backline.

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