York City v Lincoln City, 29 November 2011

Venue: Bootham Crescent, York

Attendance: 3,155

Final score: 2-0

Lincoln travelled to York in the first ‘Battle of the Minsters’ for quite a few years.  The biggest connection between the two clubs is of course Scott Kerr, the hardworking midfielder who was short-sightedly forced out of Lincoln under Steve Tilson, and is now doing very well for himself at the Minstermen.

City went into the match following two home wins on the bounce and a surge of renewed optimism.  York were a tougher prospect than Ebbsfleet, however, sitting 5^th in the league and unbeaten in 9 home games before tonight. 

The game started in frantic fashion, an unchanged City obviously buoyed by their recent resurgence in results.  In just the third minute, the Imps saw sight of goal but Platt could only put his shot over the bar.  York are no mugs, however, and were on the attack straight afterwards.  The ball broke to Danny Pilkington, whose long range shot took a wicked deflection to loop over the stranded Farman.  It was not the luck the Imps needed at the start of a tough away game – 1-0 to York after only 4 minutes.

Although City managed to create a number of half chances, and certainly kept fighting, Farman was the busier of the two keepers.  City’s best chance came from Perry, whose shot was deflected into the keeper’s arms.

Halftime saw City still in with a fighting chance of getting back into the match.

Only 10 minutes into the second half, Luke Medley replaced Kyle Perry, presumably in the hope of adding some more mobility to the attack.  To be fair, building a brick wall on the York 18 yard line would have provided more movement than Perry has recently.

Sadly, City were soon in deeper trouble when York grabbed their second on 56 minutes.  McLaughlin was given the ball by Blair, who curled a delicious left foot shot past a despairing Farman.

The second goal very much killed the game, and despite making attacking substitutions, Laurent on for Russell and Nicolau for Sheridan, City looked a beaten side going through the motions.  York, for their part, had done enough and were content to sit back and wait for the final whistle.

In some respects it was a depressing way for the match to end, especially when some 300 City fans had made the journey in poor conditions.  Getting a win was always going to be a tough ask, but perhaps the team failed to show the fight that they had shown on Saturday, or at least failed to show the quality of finishing that had put Ebbsfleet to the sword.

Although other results meant that City remain in 18^th place, Newport, City’s weekend opponents, continued their good form with another win.  City in the meantime continue to find away points very difficult to come by.

The night was finished off with the news that City will face the long, long trip to Colwyn Bay in the first round of the FA Trophy, after the Welsh side beat Halifax Town.  The long trip notwithstanding, it was particularly disappointing not to be getting reacquainted with the Shaymen, who of course used to be far more regular opponents of the Imps in happier times for both clubs.

York City

24 Michael Ingham
3 James Meredith
5 David McGurk
7 Jamie Reed
8 Scott Kerr
10 Ashley Chambers
12 Danny Pilkington
16 Jamal Fyfield
17 Matty Blair
20 Jon Challinor
26 Patrick McLaughlin

Substitutes
28 Moses Ashikodi for Pilkington 76
2 Lanre Oyebanjo for Chambers 86
4 Chris Smith
6 Daniel Parslow
18 Adriano Moke

Lincoln City

28 Paul Farman
13 Tony Sinclair
2 Richard Hinds
5 Josh Gowling
3 John Nutter
8 Alan Power
34 Tyrone Thompson
12 Conal Platt
15 Simon Russell
36 Jake Sheridan
9 Kyle Perry
Substitutes
32 Luke Medley for Perry 51
11 Francis Laurent for Russell 65
17 Nicky Nicolau for Sheridan 81
27 Jean-Francois Christophe
1 Joe Anyon

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