City wheel aside Barrow with last minute winner

Sean Newton played through a broken nose to score a 94th minute winner as York City recorded their first home league win under Gary Mills since his arrival in October, 2-1 against Barrow. The goal prompted celebrations that have seldom been seen this season from the 2300 home fans.

Newton’s winner was fierce, a left footed strike lashed home after Jon Parkin flicked on a long throw by Vadaine Oliver. The Minstermen had taken the lead midway through the first half thanks to Amari Morgan-Smith, but Barrow drew level after starting the second half much better, Jordan Williams on target for the visitors.

But it was York who started the match brightest, the strike duo of Parkin and Morgan-Smith causing plenty of problems for Barrow centre backs Moussa Diarra and Danny Livesey. After 12 minutes and with the score still 0-0, York had the best chance of the game so far when the ball was cut back to Simon Heslop on the edge of the area, it took strong defending by Jordan Williams to prevent the York skipper getting a shot away.

When the goal came in the 22nd minute, it was as direct as they come. A Kyle Letheren goal kick was nodded on by Parkin for Morgan-Smith to run on to and toe poke past Jon Flatt in the Barrow goal. And it could have been two just minutes later, a last ditch block by Livesey preventing Parkin from adding a goal to the assist he’d just provided.

For their part Barrow were very quiet in the first half, the three York centre backs outnumbering the visiting strike partnership of Richie Bennett and Byron Harrison.

However, they started the second half far more energetically, and ten minutes into the half should have equalised during a goalmouth scramble in which Bennett, Harrison and Diarra all failed to turn the ball home, partly thanks to some last ditch City defending.

But with the Minstermen’s defence retreating as the half went on, the equaliser did in the 72nd minute. Winger Jordan Williams capitalised on a defensive mix-up to nick the ball from Kyle Letheren, and score into the open goal.

York, so often on the wrong end of late goals this season, pushed forward for the winner. Simon Lappin, graceful as ever in midfield, was replaced by Vadaine Oliver who made a decisive contribution to the winning goal.

With just one minute left of the five indicated for injury time, Oliver raced to take a throw in on the right touchline. He launched a long throw into the area – a skill Mills said afterwards he wasn’t aware he had – it was reliably flicked on by Parkin and Newton was free at the far post to fire in.

The scenes of celebration at both the goal and the final whistle one minute later were reminiscent of happier seasons at Bootham Crescent, and spoke to how much York City supporters have suffered at times this season.

Results elsewhere mean City are still bottom of the league, but there can really only be positives from the performance. Mills has said York will need nine wins to survive relegation. Eight to go now.

By Peter Rogers, York City Reporter

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