YORK City’s long run without a victory has been causing a few headaches at Bootham Crescent in recent times but, on a day normally renowned for hangovers, Ryan Jarvis provided the perfect remedy.

Jarvis’ 30th-minute strike – his ninth goal of the season and first in 11 League games – earned City a welcome 1-0 win over New Year’s Day visitors Morecambe.

The Minstermen’s first triumph in 12 matches owed as much, however, to an inspired return for Michael Ingham in goal.

Ingham has missed the last eight games due to a hip flexor problem that was preventing him from kicking balls.

He was reliable with his feet during yesterday’s comeback outing but brilliant with his hands to rack up a 110th clean sheet for the club on one of his busiest afternoons at Bootham Crescent.

Prior to Jarvis’ goal – the hosts’ only on-target attempt of the opening 45 minutes – Ingham had been called into action on several occasions.

With Nigel Worthington’s men then getting a stranglehold on the game during the second period, he also denied substitute Jack Redshaw late on with a final stunning stop.

Earlier, Ingham’s first save of the afternoon saw him push a firm 25-yard drive by Jack Sampson around his left-hand upright on 17 minutes.

He then saved smartly from Andy Fleming at his near post before acrobatically pushing over Tony Diagne’s header with his finger tips.

At the other end of the pitch, however, Morecambe ’keeper Barry Roche’s first contribution to the game was to pick the ball out of his net on the half hour.

Michael Coulson’s corner from the left saw Wes Fletcher win a header in the visitors’ penalty box and Jarvis swivelled swiftly to fire a shot into the roof of Roche’s net from three yards.

It was Ingham, though, who con-tinued to be the busiest ’keeper prior to the break with a further flying save preventing Diagne from curling a 25-yard free-kick inside his right-hand post.

In the second half, the Minstermen began to play with more confidence and purpose, spurred on by some early raids down the right by Lanre Oyebanjo.

On 55 minutes, Fletcher narrowly missed the target after the ball bounced invitingly up off the turf 15 yards from goal and Keith Lowe, underlining his threat from set-pieces again, hit a post with a header from Luke O’Neill’s free-kick.

Fletcher then collected a Montrose pass before sidestepping Chris Doyle and firing away a low shot that Roche kept out well with his legs.

Other opportunities saw Montrose aim a wildly ambitious 40-yard attempt out of the ground and Ryan Bowman snatch at an edge-of-the-box chance.

Morecambe’s threat had been minimal in the main since half-time but, on 81 minutes, many home supporters feared the worst when Shrimps substitute Padraig Amond outstripped Lowe on the left and picked out an unmarked Redshaw on the far post with a perfect delivery.

Redshaw did everything right, directing a downward header inside Ingham’s left-hand post but the City ’keeper’s reflexes were startling, as he clawed the ball to safety on his goal-line.

In safeguarding maximum points, Ingham also moved to within ten shut-outs of the legendary Tommy Forgan’s club record for clean sheets.

If he keeps fit and maintains yesterday’s form, that target also remains firmly within his grasp.


Match facts

York City 1 (Jarvis 30), Morecambe 0

Michael Ingham 9
STAR MAN – made a string of saves to keep his team in the match before half-time.

Luke O’Neill 7
– kept things tight defensively without threatening too much further upfield.

Keith Lowe 7
– made the odd slip-up but fully committed and went close to his first City goal.

David McGurk 8
– hardly put a foot wrong with a typically assured display at the heart of defence.

Ben Davies 7
– handled Mwasile's pace admirably and rarely looked exposed or in trouble.

Lanre Oyebanjo 7
– his energy, attitude and speed carried him into excellent attacking positions.

Lewis Montrose 8
– combative and reliable in possession with a good range of passing.

Tom Platt 7
– worked hard and won tackles without really threatening in the final third.

Michael Coulson 7
– helped out in attack and defence on the left flank and looked after the ball well..

Ryan Jarvis 8
– gave a reminder of his poaching talents and delivered several dangerous crosses.

Wes Fletcher 7
– held the ball up well and gave the Morecambe back three no respite.

Subs: Ryan Bowman 6 – keen (for Jarvis, 63); Josh Carson (for Oyebanjo, 84). Not used: Ashley Chambers, Jamal Fyfield, Ryan Brobbel, Sander Puri, Elliott Whitehouse.


Morecambe

Barry Roche, Chris McCready (Aaron McGowan, 76), Chris Doyle, Mark Hughes, Andy Parrish, Stewart Drummond, Andy Fleming, Tony Diagne, Joe Mwasile (Jack Redshaw, 59), Jack Sampson (Padraig Amond, 69), Kevin Ellison. Subs not used: Robbie Threlfall, Alex Kenyon, Joe McGee, Andreas Arestidou.

Star man: Diagne – looked a threat in the air and on the floor.


Referee: Referee: Nigel Miller (Esh Winning).

Rating: 7/10 – made odd mistake but generally good.

Booked: O’Neill 4, Doyle 58, Parrish 87, Montrose 87, Hughes 90.

Sent off: None.

Attendance: 3,276 (214 from Morecambe).

Shots on target: City 4, Morecambe 10.

Shots off target: City 12, Morecambe 6.

Corners: City 7, Morecambe 7.

Fouls conceded: City 7, Morecambe 9.

Offsides: City 1, Morecambe 1.