Match Report: York City 2-1 Dorking Wanderers

York City narrowly overcame a Dorking Wanderers side of sorts at the LNER Community Stadium on Saturday.

York City narrowly overcame a Dorking Wanderers side of sorts at the LNER Community Stadium on Saturday.

Both sides went into it looking at all three points to keep survival hopes alive, but in the end, it would be the hosts who recorded the all-important victory.

Unlike previously, the Minstermen came flying out of the traps, opening the scoring after just seven minutes, as Manny Duku nudged the ball over the line following a moment of City look which saw a rocket from Mitch Hancox touched onto the post, but only to bounce back off 'keeper Dan Lincoln and into the path of Duku.

A golden chance to make it two was Duku's - the striker beat the offside trap and raced through on goal, however inexplicably shooting wide of the gaping target, but the complaints from the visitors' dug-our continued against that offside decision, with manager Marc White shown red.

It was the first time York had netted within the opening ten minutes since early January, and gave a huge confidence boost to go into the second half at the same scoreline.

But that 1-0 lead lasted no longer than eleven minutes before a dink from Olly Dyson into the area allowed Ryan Fallowfield to pop up and unleash a wicked drive beyond the stopper to double the advantage.

Wanderers did pull one back through a Dan Gallagher header late on, but ultimately, it was too little too late for the under-par Surrey outfit, who fell to defeat.

The absence of top scorer Lenell John-Lewis continued a second game for York City, with young star Shaq Forde taking his place up front. There were various other changes, as Alex Hurst and Mark Ellis joined the lineup, in place of Luke James and Maziar Kouhyar, plus the omission of centre-half Maxim Kouogun to the bench.

Marc White's Dorking side saw Callum Kennedy back in the eleven while Luke Moore, Matt Briggs and Seb Bowerman were all reinstated into the midfield. A spot up front was taken up by prolific scorer Ryan Seager, who only made the bench for the Notts County defeat.

York were quickest out the blocks, and after Manny Duku had successfully won a corner a minute in, Mark Ellis was close to giving the hosts a very early lead, arriving at the near post, but just nodding over the top.

However the Minstermen soon showed their improvement on chance-taking - Mitch Hancox's burst forward on the left saw him release a bullet towards goal, which was well parried onto the post by Dan Lincoln, only to rebound back off the Wanderers 'keeper and provide Duku with an excellent chance to race in and knock the ball over the goalline.

It was ever so nearly two for the home side ten minutes in, but an Ellis header aimed at the bottom corner forced Lincoln into a wonderful diving save, turning it round the post.

The opening goal couldn't have been much easier for Duku to convert, but his inconsistency became clear later on in the game.

A perfect through ball from Hancox beat the offside trap and allowed the striker to cover half the pitch with just the 'keeper in front of him, and having even beaten the Dorking stopper with his eventual effort, he had the crowd cheering what they thought was a perfect finish, only to be bamboozled by a horrific miss, the ball rolling behind the net, rather than in it.

A few telling-offs from the fourth official really hadn't changed the attitude of visitors manager Marc White, whose words appeared to be worthy of a sending off, seemingly quite harsh, shy of the twenty minute mark, probably due to the frustration of a non-offside call moments earlier.

His back chat to the officials didn't do no good for his own sake, giving referee Aaron Jackson no option but to send the long-term gaffer to the stands, and thankfully for him and his team, there was just one goal in it at the break, despite Olly Dyson coming close with a low strike in injury time.

In fact, Dyson became the driving force for York after the restart, almost smashing home early in the second half, scuffing an effort wide from a decent position inside the area.

A chance down at the other end saw a nervy moment for the hosts, pinball in the box but no one able to poke it home, ten minutes after the restart.

York were immediately able to launch a swift counter attack, cutting open the Dorking defence and allowing midfielder Dan Pybus a clear opportunity to net his first goal for the club, though it was virtually a carbon copy of Duku's dreadful first half miss, striking agonizingly wide of the mark.

Luckily for Michael Morton's men, they wouldn't live to regret that chance, adding a goal for safety through Ryan Fallowfield a minute later.

A dinked ball in from Dyson found its way to the City right-back in front of goal, and the latter made it look so simple, letting it bounce before viciously firing a low shot between the legs of Lincoln, met by a very relieved roar from the majority of the on-edge stadium.

66 minutes in came a great chance for the Surrey outfit to reply - a loose ball fell to a patiently waiting James McShane just inside the box, who sweetly volleyed at the target, only to be denied by an unbelievable flying save by Ryan Whitley, managing to tip it onto the crossbar.

Approaching the final five minutes of the ninety, the home side should arguably have been awarded a penalty, but to some disbelief, all shouts were waved away by the referee, and that would could back to bite the Minstermen shortly after.

A corner in from the left hand side was headed back at goal by Jason Prior, and substitute Dan Gallagher was quick to leap in and nod home to cut the deficit, and amend the atmosphere.

Dorking turned up the heat heading into stoppage time - a Jimmy Muitt drive hit the target but Whitley was there to hold, before a final golden opportunity fell to Seb Bowerman at the back post in the dying moments, however he got it completely wrong, diverting too high and too wide, that being the last chance the visitors would have before the long journey south.

The result sees York move eight points clear of the drop, but bearing in mind that Gateshead have a couple of games in hand, while Dorking are just three points off it.

York City: Whitley, Fallowfield, Duckworth, Ellis, Crookes, Hurst, Pybus, Dyson (Kouogun 90+1'), Hancox (McLaughlin 64'), Duku (James 83'), Forde

Unused Subs: Campbell, Kouhyar

Goals: Duku (7'), Fallowfield (56')

Yellow Cards: McLaughlin

Dorking Wanderers: Lincoln, Kennedy (B.Taylor 67'), Francomb, Briggs (Muitt 46'), Craig, Bowman, McShane, Prior, J.Taylor, Moore (Gallagher 46'), Seager 

Unused Subs: Ottoway, Philpot

Goals: Gallagher (86')

Yellow Cards: Bowerman

Referee: Aaron Jackson

Attendance: 4,409 (153 away supporters)