So despite dropping two points in a pulsating 1-1 draw at the Park tonight, on a balmy evening perfect for football in front of a whopping 4242 eager fans, the point gained is till enough to send City back to the top of the Blue Square Premier League as they make their live Setanta bow. City lined up: Marriott; Friend, Edwards, Taylor; Moxey, Artus, Richardson, Tully; Mackie, Logan, Stansfield.
Making only one change to the side that beat Crawley less than a week ago - that of Richardson for concussion victim Sercombe - City stuck to their so far tried and tested 3-4-3 formation for the visit of York City. As it was, it was City who started brightest with Rico firing a cross-field ball to Moxey on the left flank as early as the second minute. Unfortunately his 20 yard snap shot flashed wastefully wide.
A minute later it was Rico's turn himself to have a pop, this time after some excellent work by Logan, Mackie and Stansfield whereby Logan miss hit his shot at the keeper who parried straight to Stansfield. He in turn laid it off to Rico who smashed a 10 yard drive goalwards only to see it deflected away narrowly missing the angle of bar and post.
After eight minutes Stansfield chanced his arm chasing a Logan flick on from a hoisted clearance, unfortunately the keeper had his wits about him and beat Stansfield in a race to the ball on the edge of the box. Less than five minutes later Deano sent Stansfield scampering after a ball down the left where he then outmuscled a defender on the edge of the box before inviting Mackie to shoot. However, a York defender was alert to the danger and scooped the ball away just as Mackie shaped to shoot.
It wasn't all City though, and midway through the first half York had their first real chance of the game. A swift break down the right saw the ball guided into the middle low whereby a first time strike towards the top corner from the corner of the six yard box was miraculously clawed away by an outstretched Marriott arm that seemed to suddenly appear from nowhere. Normal service was soon resumed on the half hour when between them Mackie and Deano both embarked on a surging run to the heart of the York defence before getting themselves crowded out on the edge of the box. But they were soon rewarded for their attacking efforts with the award of a somewhat controversial penalty.
Logan's flick on was guided into Stansfield's path by Mackie, and as he surged into the box a defender appeared to completely airshot the ball and take Stansfield instead. Furious protests from both the York players and supporters behind Marriott's goal that their man got a piece of the ball fell on deaf ears as the ref immediately pointed to the spot. Logan stepped up and cemented his spot at the top of the City scoring charts by drilling the ball inch perfect low to the keeper's right into the far corner to give City a deserved 1-0 lead. Brimming with confidence, the final action of note in a frenetic first half came as Logan audaciously tried a spectacular 40 yard lob, but alas his confidence on this occasion was misplaced as the ball sailed a yard over the bar.
But in no time the second half was underway, and City were out of the blocks even quicker than they were in the first. A mere 60 seconds had registered before a ball was dinked through for Logan to chase, but despite snicking the ball past the keeper, he managed to beat the far post as well and the chance was gone. With five minutes up fans were treated to some terrific interplay down the left involving Deano, Loagn and Mackie and ended with Mackie's fierce near post drive that the keeper collected gratefully. Two minutes later again Deano was involved, showing a fair turn of speed to chase down Logan's umpteenth flick on before sending over the most delicious cross that was cleared off Stansfield's toe just as he was about to smash home from a couple of yards out.
Just after ten minutes a sharp Deano throw sent Mackie chasing, where he cut inside before driving narrowly past the near post. Midway through the half Mackie had another chance for a second with a 20 yard snap shot from a Logan nod down Unfortunately a defender's deflection took all of the sting out of the shot to give the keeper a comfortable cllect. Mackie and Logan again combined five minutes later prompting Logan to drill a sumptuous cross field ball that just beat Stansfield's shaven bonce after he'd bust a gut to get to the near post from deep. On the half hour Tully fed Deano with a sublime cross field ball to the corner of the box, but Deano's shot lacked the venom to trouble the keeper as he gathered with ease.
With less than fifteen minutes to go, and with players clearly tiring, Logan and Mackie were replaced by Elam and Basham. Their first real contribution was to combine to set Stansfield sprinting toward the box, but the ball wa slightly overhit allowing the keeper to collect on the edge of the box.
But then the sucker punch. All game York had threatened without really threatening, and with two minutes to go City paid the ultimate price for not finishing their chances.Showing persistence and strength way beyond the call of duty, Onome Sodje muscled his way round the outside despite some severe City defensive pressure to stab home past Marriott from close range to give his side a hard earned equaliser in front of the delerious York fans stationed behind Marriott's goal.
With a couple of minutes of stoppage time that was soon that and it wasn't long before the ref finally brought the curtain down on a thoroughly entertaining game of football. City might well think that given their domination of both possession and attacking chances they might feel a little hard done by only drawing, but if truth be told York battled hard right to the very end and were always looking for ways to break City down.
At the back Marriott didn't really have a great deal to do, bar one terrific save in the first half - the rest being regulation stuff. This was in no small way thanks to the superb marshalling of Friend, Edwards and Taylor in front of him. I midfield Artus and Rico worked hard to hold the central positions, but it was out wide where it was happening, particularly with Deano in electric form down the left.
Up front the three strikers caused the York defence all sorts of problems, and it's a heady cocktail that combines the aerial prowess and strength of Logan with the lightning bursts of pace of both Mackie and Stansfield.
So a point gained or two dropped? Probably the latter, given how late the equaliser came, but neveretheless it was enough to raise City back above Torquay to the top of the table by the closest of margins; goals scored. But let's take nothing away from City's marvellous start to the campaign, and I doubt there's many who'd complain at two wins and a draw from the openening three fixtures.
Next weekend City take their unbeaten run to newly promoted Droylesden before returning to the Park on Bank Holiday Monday to entertain Weymouth. Hopefully the sun will shine and the fans will turn up in numbers to bask in both the sun and some City success. I mean, if current results and performances don't drag you up to the Park then what will? But I'm preaching to the converted here, you'll all be there anyway cheering on the lads to further glory. The atmosphere tonight was terrific, imagine what another fifteen hundred would sound like. Bring along friends and relatives and pack the place out for what should be another terrific encounter, and see if the lads can match last year's 4-0 demolition. Is there anywhere else you'd rather be? Didn't think so.
