TEN-YEAR-OLD Tonika Greaves was the winner of our Young Sports Writer of the Year competition, backed by CPP and York City.

The New Earswick youngster won a laptop and a VIP trip to the Minstermen’s game against Tamworth at Bootham Crescent.

Tonika watched the game from the press box and here is her match report.

City fail to bleat Lambs

“Nobody can afford to go to sleep,” Martin Foyle warned in The Press on Friday.

But that was what York City did towards the end of the game against Tamworth which allowed ex-York player Chris Smith to score a late equaliser in front of a good crowd of 2,863.

The first half wasn’t a classic and the blustery wind and sandy pitch didn’t really help.

Paul Harsley wasted a good chance for the Minstermen in the 29th minute when he shot over the bar from about ten yards out.

Iyseden Christie missed the best chance for the Lambs on 38 minutes when he blasted the ball well over the bar with only Michael Ingham to beat.

The second half was more exciting and York took the lead in the 56th minute when Courtney Pitt curled the ball and Luke Graham headed powerfully past Danny Alcock into the back of the net, to score his first goal for City.

Jamie Clarke nearly grabbed an important second, but his shot just went to the left of the goal.

York were well on top, but in the 81st minute the ball was crossed by Richard Tait into City’s box towards two unmarked Tamworth players.

Michael Ingham managed to save Michael Wylde’s header, but the ball came out to Chris Smith who smashed the ball into the net and Tamworth had equalised.

The final chance came to York when substitute Chris Carruthers crossed the ball from a corner, but defender Djoumin Sangare headed the ball wide of the goal.

Even though City didn’t get the three points they wanted, they still stay clear in fifth position as their main rivals for the final play-off place Wimbledon lost, and Mansfield and Kettering, who played each other, drew.