Post by Rio Doherty on Dec 4, 2020 23:34:04 GMT
On the back of a confidence-boosting success the other night we make the venture to Yorkshire tomorrow to play York City away where we look to record our first away win since the opening day. I feel a lot more at ease now we are back in the play-offs as I was beginning to feel concerned about our prospects, but we need to earn that place now by pushing on and staying in there. We have a dismal record at Bootham Crescent having not won there in 20 years, but given York have had a very stop-start season and spectators will no longer be permitted to attend tomorrow, we have a better chance than ever of getting that monkey off our back to put out a real statement. At this moment in time I would be happy with a draw as in the long run this should turn out to be one of our most difficult games, but there have been numerous occasions in recent campaigns where The Minstermen have failed to turn up in big clashes, so we should be going all out to snatch the win.
Our last match was on Tuesday night as we won 3-0 at home against Alfreton Town in what was our first positive result in over a month. The first half was a mixed one as it was Alfreton who troubled us in the early stages, but from the 20th minute mark onwards it was us who got a stronger foothold on the encounter. Towards the midway point of the half we were awarded a penalty as Alfreton Town’s Josh Clackstone flung his arm out to foolishly handle the ball. Up stepped Danny Elliott who calmly slotted home from the penalty spot to make it 1-0 to us. On the balance of play we just about edged it so we brought a deserved but slender lead into the interval. Meanwhile, the second period was very much similar to the opening half as it was our opponents who asked questions in the opening stages, while we did the business in the dying embers of the match. Forward Daniel Bradley went so close to equalising for Alfreton Town as he rattled the crossbar, before the rebound luckily went well over. The pressure from the visitors continued to worry us as only two minutes later Alfreton Town hit the woodwork again, this time through Conor Branson who struck the post. Our nerves were put at ease just past the hour mark though, as Jamie Morgan slotted into the far corner to make it 2-0 to us. With full time approaching Anthony Dudley wrapped it up, as he stroked home to make it 3-0 to us. Alfreton Town hit the woodwork for the THIRD time in injury time as Dom Smith headed against the crossbar, but that wasn’t to be an issue as we kept our first clean sheet of the season. A big win which will hopefully galvanise our season, especially with us jumping up four places into the play-offs.
York City have certainly had a rollercoaster beginning to life in their fourth season in the National League North, as a series of staggered postponements leaves the Yorkshire side in mid table with SIX games in hand. It is very difficult to make clear judgements on them at the moment because despite them being so far down, they have only lost one game so once they catch up with everybody they may find themselves in a much healthier position. However, even for a squad of York’s quality the heavy fixture congestion that will occur later on in the season may hand them with big problems, so it may prove to be difficult for them to gain ground on other sides. The Minstermen had a mass overhaul during the Summer, as 15 players from last season’s play-off disappointment departed with 17 new recruits coming in, but even as we approach Winter you can argue that their new side are still finding their feet and are yet to properly gel together. In a way I feel sorry for the hosts given their disruption, although given some of the quality they brought in such as Matty Brown, Michael Woods, Michael Duckworth, and Jack Redshaw, I do think they will be near the top before long. We will be up against two former Seals tomorrow, who are Matty Brown and Sean Newton. Centre back Matty originally joined us on loan from Chesterfield in 2014, but having fared well in that spell he joined us on a permanent deal later on in 2014, where he went on to perform solidly for us. He departed us in 2015 to join FC Halifax Town, where after a successful five year spell he left to join York City in September of this year where he has been at ever since. Meanwhile, fellow centre back Sean began his career in 2007 at Chester City where, after two loan spells at Southport later on in 2007 and Droylsden in 2008, he departed us later on in 2008 to join Droylsden on a permanent basis. Newton joined York City from Wrexham in 2017, and has been there ever since.
Tomorrow’s clash will be the start of a difficult week coming up with battles against fellow ex-Football League sides Hereford FC and Boston United to follow. At this moment in time I would settle for four points, although we are capable of much more and should battle for all nine, even though that is unlikely to happen. The advantage of no spectators and Tuesday’s morale-boosting win will hopefully spur us on to pick something up at Bootham, which doesn’t happen often. Come On You Seals!
Score: York City (Redshaw, Cassidy) 2-1 Chester FC (Johnston)
Attendance: 0 (0 Chester FC)
My predicted lineup:
Gray
Morgan Livesey Grand Taylor
Johnston Glendon Weeks Bauress
Hughes Elliott
COYS!
Our last match was on Tuesday night as we won 3-0 at home against Alfreton Town in what was our first positive result in over a month. The first half was a mixed one as it was Alfreton who troubled us in the early stages, but from the 20th minute mark onwards it was us who got a stronger foothold on the encounter. Towards the midway point of the half we were awarded a penalty as Alfreton Town’s Josh Clackstone flung his arm out to foolishly handle the ball. Up stepped Danny Elliott who calmly slotted home from the penalty spot to make it 1-0 to us. On the balance of play we just about edged it so we brought a deserved but slender lead into the interval. Meanwhile, the second period was very much similar to the opening half as it was our opponents who asked questions in the opening stages, while we did the business in the dying embers of the match. Forward Daniel Bradley went so close to equalising for Alfreton Town as he rattled the crossbar, before the rebound luckily went well over. The pressure from the visitors continued to worry us as only two minutes later Alfreton Town hit the woodwork again, this time through Conor Branson who struck the post. Our nerves were put at ease just past the hour mark though, as Jamie Morgan slotted into the far corner to make it 2-0 to us. With full time approaching Anthony Dudley wrapped it up, as he stroked home to make it 3-0 to us. Alfreton Town hit the woodwork for the THIRD time in injury time as Dom Smith headed against the crossbar, but that wasn’t to be an issue as we kept our first clean sheet of the season. A big win which will hopefully galvanise our season, especially with us jumping up four places into the play-offs.
York City have certainly had a rollercoaster beginning to life in their fourth season in the National League North, as a series of staggered postponements leaves the Yorkshire side in mid table with SIX games in hand. It is very difficult to make clear judgements on them at the moment because despite them being so far down, they have only lost one game so once they catch up with everybody they may find themselves in a much healthier position. However, even for a squad of York’s quality the heavy fixture congestion that will occur later on in the season may hand them with big problems, so it may prove to be difficult for them to gain ground on other sides. The Minstermen had a mass overhaul during the Summer, as 15 players from last season’s play-off disappointment departed with 17 new recruits coming in, but even as we approach Winter you can argue that their new side are still finding their feet and are yet to properly gel together. In a way I feel sorry for the hosts given their disruption, although given some of the quality they brought in such as Matty Brown, Michael Woods, Michael Duckworth, and Jack Redshaw, I do think they will be near the top before long. We will be up against two former Seals tomorrow, who are Matty Brown and Sean Newton. Centre back Matty originally joined us on loan from Chesterfield in 2014, but having fared well in that spell he joined us on a permanent deal later on in 2014, where he went on to perform solidly for us. He departed us in 2015 to join FC Halifax Town, where after a successful five year spell he left to join York City in September of this year where he has been at ever since. Meanwhile, fellow centre back Sean began his career in 2007 at Chester City where, after two loan spells at Southport later on in 2007 and Droylsden in 2008, he departed us later on in 2008 to join Droylsden on a permanent basis. Newton joined York City from Wrexham in 2017, and has been there ever since.
Tomorrow’s clash will be the start of a difficult week coming up with battles against fellow ex-Football League sides Hereford FC and Boston United to follow. At this moment in time I would settle for four points, although we are capable of much more and should battle for all nine, even though that is unlikely to happen. The advantage of no spectators and Tuesday’s morale-boosting win will hopefully spur us on to pick something up at Bootham, which doesn’t happen often. Come On You Seals!
Score: York City (Redshaw, Cassidy) 2-1 Chester FC (Johnston)
Attendance: 0 (0 Chester FC)
My predicted lineup:
Gray
Morgan Livesey Grand Taylor
Johnston Glendon Weeks Bauress
Hughes Elliott
COYS!