Torquay United extended their impressive late run to five consecutive victories, with their latest being a 3-1 win over fellow relegation candidates York City.
Torquay United extended their impressive late run to five consecutive victories, with their latest being a 3-1 win over fellow relegation candidates York City.
The opener came 14 minutes into the game, as Aaron Jarvis managed to nod home a cross in from the right, before he doubled the hosts' lead seven minutes later, meeting another ball in from the right and striking past a helpless Ryan Whitley.
York did fight back but they could only conjure up a single goal before the break, Lenell John-Lewis powering home to cut the deficit.
However, the two-goal advantage was regained by Torquay eleven minutes into the second half - again, it was Jarvis who claimed his hat-trick from the penalty spot as he sent Whitley the wrong way.
The Minstermen kept on pushing and managed a consolation on the ninety-minute mark with Adam Crookes tucking home the follow-up after Maziar Kouhyar's strike had come back off the post.
That was all they could muster, walking away with no points, the Gulls taking all three.
In a bid to make it five wins on the bounce and further their chances of survival in the National League, Torquay made a single change following their emphatic 3-1 result at Maidenhead - Kieron Evans earnt promotion from the bench as he replaced Tom Lapslie.
Also not yet completely safe from the drop and off the back of a humiliating derby defeat to Halifax, York City assistant manager Tony McMahon took charge while Michael Morton continued to recover from coronavirus.
Three alterations were made to the starting lineup with captain Lenell John-Lewis and right-back Ryan Fallowfield returning from injury and reinstating Maxim Kouogun in place of Danny Rowe, Alex Whittle, and Michael Duckworth.
The visitors probably had the better start to the game, notching a first shot after barely sixty seconds as Olly Dyson looped one closely over the bar before a Shaqai Forde header fell nicely into the 'keeper's hands minutes later.
However attempts didn't mean anything, it was the goals that would count in this crucial relegation clash, and Torquay managed to take their chance when they got it, 14 minutes in.
On his return to the team, Kieron Evans provided an early impact, receiving a threaded pass down the right and advancing to the byline before crossing the ball into the mixer for in-form striker Aaron Jarvis to head home, leaving Ryan Whitley with no chance between the York sticks.
The Gulls were only relaxing celebrations of their opener when they gained breathing space with Jarvis' second in the space of seven minutes.
Again, it was a move down the right-hand side that caught City out, Lewis Collins racing down the wing and playing a low ball across to the looming goalscorer at the back post, who was able to divert into the back of the net and pile more misery on the Minstermen.
In what was already looking like a game that would provide many goals, York came close to an immediate response, but a scramble in the box was eventually cleared to prevent a decent scoring opportunity.
The magnificent 424 strong away following did get something to cheer about though, just before the half-hour mark, as City fought to cut the deficit.
A free kick targeted Adam Crookes who headed back across goal into the path of Lenell John-Lewis and the experienced forward wouldn't hesitate to power past Mark Halstead and restore his side's chances of getting anything at Plainmoor.
In an almost incredible turn of events, the tie could have been brought level minutes later, with Mitch Hancox sending a header looping just over the crossbar
City continued to threaten in the back end of the first half, as Halstead was tested to keep out an effort from Forde, then a recycled chance saw Maxim Kouogun force the 'keeper into a decent diving stop.
A Hancox corner too proved dangerous, connecting with the head of Crookes, who nodded goalwards for Halstead to react well and save.
A couple of long-range shots late in the half for either side were easily caught by respective 'keeper's and the two teams headed in at the break with Torquay surprisingly still ahead.
The second period had a slow start, but it was York who were slightly off the pace and fell victim to a penalty decision nine minutes in.
With Kouogun spotted with his arms wrapped around two-goal Jarvis on the perimeter of the box, the latter decided to controversially throw himself to the ground and in return was awarded a chance to bag a hat-trick as referee Ryan Atkin pointed to the spot.
And given Jarvis' superb form of late, there was doubt he would coolly convert, sending Whitley the wrong way to restore the two-goal cushion for the Yellow Army.
York fans watched on in silence from the opposite end as their beloved club fell closer to the relegation trap, and they thought they had seen a fourth for their opponents as a Jack Stobbs free kick flew very narrowly wide of the top corner an hour in.
When it seemed like the Minstermen were clinging to dear life, a promising attack suddenly ensued.
Ryan Fallowfield burst forward to the edge of the area and by the request of the fans behind the goal, he unleashed a rocket, which via a hefty deflection, was marvellously parried by Halstead at full stretch before the follow-up from Forde at a tight angle beat the 'keeper but agonizingly rebounded off the far post.
Falling to no other than Kouogun at point-blank range, even he couldn't turn it home as Dean Moxey came flying out of nowhere to put in an unbelievable block, leaving everyone within the stadium questioning how it was not 3-2.
The onslaught continued through 63 minutes - Kouogun combined with Forde, the striker finding himself inside the box but shooting wide.
Action finally switched ends, veteran Frank Nouble sending a dangerous ball into the area and after pinball in the mixer, Whitley eventually made a decent stop.
Nouble watched an effort zoom over the top shortly after, and then a separate chance almost had a fourth for Jarvis had it not been for Whitley's close-range denial.
The board indicating five minutes of added time appeared on the touchline, clashing with an opportunity that gave York a late lifeline.
Substitute Maziar Kouhyar had initially fired in a shot that struck the post, only for Adam Crookes to be in position to finish it off and inflict nerves upon the elated home contingent.
However City failed to build on that, as frustration spilled onto the pitch - the final chance would fall to Hancox, but his shot was deflected out for a corner, and as a result, nothing came of that either.
The final whistle blew to the relief of the Gulls, yet the drama didn't end there.
Amid the post-match scenes, York man Hancox had presumably given the referee a mouthful over his below-par match performance and was shown a straight red card, one which will see him absent for the remainder of the campaign as the Minstermen bid to avoid the drop.
Torquay United: Halstead, Hall (Hanson 78’), Jarvis, Evans, Donnellan, Lawrence, Moxey, Stobbs, Dawson, Collins (Omar 83'), Nouble (Wyatt 76’)
Subs not used: Crowe, Lovett
Goals: Jarvis (14’, 21’, 58’)
Yellow Cards: Dawson, Collins
York City: Whitley, Fallowfield, Crookes, Kouogun (Kouhyar 78’), McLaughlin (Duku 70’), Hurst, Dyson, Forde, John-Lewis, Hancox, Ellis
Subs not used: Campbell, Mafuta, Duckworth
Goals: John-Lewis (28’), Crookes (90')
Yellow Cards: Hurst, Forde, Kouogun
Red Card: Hancox (Aft.)
Referee: Ryan Atkin
Attendance: 3,469 (424 away)