Saturday 28th December 2019
Vanarama National League Northat Bootham Crescent
York City (1) 1
Kieran Green 13
Guiseley AFC (1) 2
Hamza Bencherif 3, Kaine Felix 87
Attendance: 3,137 (inc. 216 away fans)
Peter Jameson, Kallum Griffiths, David Ferguson, Sean Newton, Steve McNulty (C) (Macaulay Langstaff 75), Joe Tait, Adriano Moke, Paddy McLaughlin, Jordan Burrow, Kieran Green, Alex Kempster (Dan Maquire 59)
Unused subs - Andy Bond, Elloiott Durrell, Ryan Whitley
Guiseley: Marcus Dewhurst, Reiss McNally, Brad Nicholson, Andrai Jones, Hamza Bencherif (C), Kennedy Digie, Kaine Felix, George Cantrill, Aram Soleman, Chris Sang (Lee Shaw77)
Unused subs - Scott Smith, Paul Clayton, Nathan Newall
I have no ties with or any affinity whatsoever with York City FC, but I have always liked this old enclosure and have some very fond memories of the old place.
Today's hosts have played at their current ground since 1932, having moved here following a decade at their previous home: Fulfordgate, when the local cricket club vacated Bootham Crescent.
York's soon to be former home, is a brisk twenty-minute stroll from the railway station, but the new ground is roughly three miles away... and a bit more of a route march.
My first ever visit here was during the 1974-75 season, when a well-meaning uncle drove me up to watch the FA Cup third-round replay between York and Arsenal, that attracted a crowd of 15,362.
The initial game at Highbury had finished one apiece, as did the game that marked my Bootham Crescent debut, but the Gunners took the honours 1-3 after extra-time, as former England striker: Brian Kidd claimed a hat-trick, while Shirebrook born Barry Lyons scored for the home side.
Incidentally, Lyons moved on from York and finished his playing career up the A1 at Darlington, but returned in 1980 to manage the Minstermen for a season.
With Kings Lynn Town, being held to a 2-2 draw at Alfreton Town this afternoon, a win for second-placed York City, would've seen them move to within one point of the current National League North leaders. But despite having won at Bradford Park Avenue on Boxing Day, the Minstermen slipped to their second home defeat in a row, meaning that they will start the new year four points adrift of Kings Lynn, who have a game in hand over Steve Watson's side.
Though I have informed my long-suffering spouse that I am attempting to actively down-size my football memorabilia and keepsakes haul (aye right!), it was good to see that the bijou programme shop (next door to the club shop) was still open for business at Bootham Crescent and I left having purchased some very desirable items, that I'm sure I'll be able to smuggle into my house later tonight when the Gestapo camp guard is looking the other way, while watching her usual Saturday night crap on the telly.
My friend was tempted by one of those white and maroon Y front shirts that are a York City tradition, but wondered just how generous a fit a XXL version might be, seeing as it looked a bit on the snug side.
Thankfully he wasn't tempted to part with his money until he'd seen one actually being worn; because, it became evident as the rather portly (and vastly experienced) Minstermen's captain: Steve McNulty led his team out onto the pitch, that these modern-day garments do cling a bit and leave absolutely 'nowt to the imagination... think Matt Lucas in one of his Little Britain roles... the 'village' one, and you wouldn't be too far away with how one of these bri-nylon adornments might look on my chunky pal, or me for that matter.
By the way, McNulty is still playing the game at thirty six years old, he's earned the right and is entitled to carry a few extra pounds.
Having paid £14 at the turnstile to enter the covered terracing of the David Longhurst Stand, we wandered around to the 'Pop Side', where you could sit down for an extra quid, so we chose that option after grabbing a drink en route. The guy behind the serving hatch asked for £4.60 for two coffees! Bloody hell! This is a National League North non-league club... £2.30 for a hot drink! No wonder the cashier was behind bars, that's daylight robbery.
Maybe the 'dandy' Highwayman: Dick Turpin, spawned an ancestral line in this very city, before he was executed for the crime of horse theft in 1705. That might explain such an extortionate price, even if the coffee was being served in a Douwe Egberts cardboard cup.
Maybe the 'dandy' Highwayman: Dick Turpin, spawned an ancestral line in this very city, before he was executed for the crime of horse theft in 1705. That might explain such an extortionate price, even if the coffee was being served in a Douwe Egberts cardboard cup.
Guiseley started the afternoon with two former York players in their starting line up: Hanza Bencherif and Kaine Felix, neither of who had been exactly prolific goalscorers during their time at Bootham Crescent; but today, both of them found the net against the Minstermen, one three minutes into the game, the other three minutes before the end of the ninety minutes, to give the Lions a hard fought victory, that sees them enter the new year in a top ten spot in the National League North.
The visitors opening goal came after Aram Soleman's left wing corner was cleared, after a fashion, back towards him and his second cross was tucked home, from close range, via a thumping header from Bencherif.
There was an audible groan of irony at the identity of the goalscorer, from the home crowd, when his name was announced over the public address system.
York were stunned into action and were almost on level terms from the restart when Alex Kempster made a darting run forward from the right hand side of midfield and let fly with a dipping shot, that flew narrowly over the top left hand corner of the visitors goal.
But, as the hosts upped the ante, the equaliser duly arrived in the thirteenth minute, when Kieran Green made a jinking run, seeing off three challenges as he danced into the Guiseley area, before spanking an angled shot past Marcus Dewhurst, from the left hand side of the area.
The visitors forced a string of corners, but York defended stoically and almost caught their lively visitors out with a quick end to end counter attack, but as Kempster shaped up to have a shot, Andrai Jones thwarted him with a last ditch challenge.
Jones was strong in the tackle and roamed the midfield looking to 'put a foot in' and disrupt City's build up play, while also showing a decent range of passing, when it came to distributing the ball that he had won in a fair but firm fashion. He wasn't shy about leaving his mark on anybody who strayed into his domain. By contrast, York had the more fleet footed, nippy and skilful Andriano Moke in their engine room, who showed some good touches as he used his close control and pace well, in his quest to find gaps in the Lions armour. With the tackles flying in, his task must've been akin to skipping the light fantastic across a minefield.
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| Here come the Men in Black... Gareth Thomas. |
Paddy McLaughlin rolled the ball out to Kallum Griffiths, whose cross into the six yard box was turned into the visitors goal amid a goalmouth melee. But the ever so efficient assistant referee: Gareth Thomas had spotted an infringement and raised his bright yellow flag into the darkening evening sky. No goal! Much to the chagrin of an irate supporter nearby who aimed a few choice words in the direction of the 'liner'. Behave yourself my man, Mr Thomas is always right. And he's a bloody nice bloke too, as I recall from my time filling in with various roles at a number of non-league clubs over the years, before I retired from having any front-line duties due to my ill health. I'm much better now, but decided I've become far too lazy to ever get involved in that kind of thing again. It can take over your life, if you have the inclination to let it.
Griffiths rolled a well weighted cross-field ball into the path of Sean Newton, who was arriving like an express train, deep into the heart of Guiseley territory, but his crashing shot was well blocked by Dewhurst, who got down well at full stretch to his right... and the Guiseley keeper was soon in the thick of it again, when Kempster combined well with Jordan Burrow on the left hand side of the visitors area, before forcing Dewhurst into making another save.
City had been showing the most attacking intentions during the first half, but a well-organised Guiseley side had had their moments too, while in defence Bencherif, the visitors captain, and Kennedy Digie, gave the impression that they probably topped up their football earnings by working the doors around the nightclubs of Leeds on a Saturday night.
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| Guiseley on tour |
Green, to my mind the most impressive player on the pitch today, who deservedly won the 'man of the match' award (and I don't usually select one, because football is a team game), went close with a looping header from Griffiths' cross... and Dewhurst denied Kempster (who also had an impressive game) once again.
In first half stoppage time, the match referee: Aaron Bannister had to 'have a word', with Brad Nicholson, the Guiseley left-back and York's skipper: McNulty, for embracing each other a bit too passionately as they waited for Soleman to take a corner.
But hey! It's the season of goodwill to all men and all that palaver, so live at let live a bit ref!
The flag kick came to nothing... and the teams left the pitch at half time on level terms.
HT: York City 1 v Guiseley 1
Having just scared the pants off of his own teammates at one end, Jameson then caused panic at the the other, when his lengthy punt bounced straight over Dewhurt's head, after he'd gone walkabout to the edge of his area and the Lions keeper had all on to get back to his goal line to make a last ditch save.
Griffith made a darting run on the right and found Green with his cross, but the live-wire number ten, headed narrowly wide.
Gabriel Johnson did well to take the ball down and work his way towards the hosts area, where he won a corner for the Lions, that Soleman drilled low into the six yard box, where Digie was unlucky to see his close range effort whip up viciously at the last moment and clear the crossbar.
By now, the visitors seemed to be content to hold on to what they had... and while they didn't exactly 'park the bus' across their area, so to speak, they were forced onto the back foot as York vied to find a way a way through a well drilled rearguard action by the west Yorkshire side.
David Ferguson was looking particularly dangerous getting forward on the left for City, and though he was wearing the number three shirt, he seemed to be operating more as an outside left or winger.
Green dug the ball out of a scrummage just inside the Guiseley half and motored forward. There were no passing options available to him because of the crowd of Lions players packing out the final third, so he clipped a crisp long distance shot over them all, that flew just inches over Dewhurt's goal and into the David Longhurst Stand.
Newton fed the ball out wide to Ferguson, who drilled a low cross towards the near post, that almost crept in, but Dewhurst got down to smother the ball... and then stayed down for a few moments to suffocate a few precious moments of time too, much to the annoyance of the bank of fans behind him.
With fifteen minutes remaining, Guiseley strung Jones, Brad Nicholson and Reiss McNally across their own half and committed their two big centre halves to joining in with the attack, as York had to commit men forward to chase the win, while leaving themselves vulnerable to counter attacking and long balls forward.
As the clock ticked down, Sang was substituted and infuriated the York fans by taking his time to stroll casually across the pitch towards the Guiseley bench. The referee beckoned him to get a move on, so Sang broke into a jog, of sorts, that wasn't unlike that slow-motion running scene in 'Chariots of Fire'.
It made me chuckle, but I don't think that anybody else in the 'Pop-Side' enjoyed Sang's actions very much.
The Minstermen were left to lament two incidents inside the Guiseley area, late in the game, that could have altered the final outcome of this encounter, that was being kept on the boil right until the very end.
Patrick McLaughlin had just been denied as his downward header was cleared away virtually off the goal line, when the ball fell to him again on the right hand side of the area and he whipped it back across the face of the goal at head height, right in front of Joe Tait, who failed to connect because he fell forward after Digie had 'collided' with him.
While it's open to conjecture whether York were badly done to by Mr Bannister in that first instance, that might just have been a case of two players coming together as they competed for the ball; just moments later,it looked as clear as day to me, that Green was unceremoniously tripped inside the area by Jones, while Moke was jostled too... but the referee, who had a better view than me (and the vast majority of the crowd, who by now were baying for blood) waved City's appeals away.
With the protests still raging, Guiseley broke forward and Jameson did well to keep out George Cantrill's back post header from Nicholson's cross.
Surely, given what had just happened inside their own penalty area, Guiseley aren't going to have the audacity to nick a late goal and all three points... are they!?
With the protests still raging, Guiseley broke forward and Jameson did well to keep out George Cantrill's back post header from Nicholson's cross.
Surely, given what had just happened inside their own penalty area, Guiseley aren't going to have the audacity to nick a late goal and all three points... are they!?
But, we all know what time of the year it is... and the answer to that question was a resounding pantominesque : "Oh yes they are!".
I have checked, by the way... you ask the famous TV lexicographer Susie Dent, from 'Dictionary Corner' on Channel 4's 'Countdown', she knows... and whatever Grammarly might tell you, pantominesque is actually a genuine word.
But I digress. York made hard work of clearing Nicholson's cross into their area, the ball fell kindly for Felix who it planted it into the bottom corner of Jameson's net from fifteen yards out. Blimey!
Possibly due to him feeling a bit guilty about at least one of the penalty incidents, now that York were heading for their second home defeat in a row, the referee added on four minutes of stoppage time, but having battled gamely to plunder raid all three points from under the home side's noses, Guiseley weren't letting go of them now.
FT: York City 1 v Guiseley AFC 2
I've only got one more game left on my schedule this year/decade, when I head over to Birmingham City v Leeds United tomorrow afternoon. Beyond that it's all work commitments and hospital visits until January 1st.
It's a shame that Bootham Crescent is going to be bulldozed to make way for a housing development any time soon, it's a smashing old ground, but life goes on... and it was an enjoyable trip up here to bid the place a fond farewell.
No doubt the next time I'm up this way, it'll be to visit the Minstermen's new ground, as soon as the opportunity presents itself.
