Tuesday 25th March 2008
York 1 v 1 Vics

Ben Connett replaced the injured Scott Tynan in the only change to the team that won an emphatic victory last Saturday. The size of their task was underlined by the record of a York side that had not suffered a home league defeat since November.

Vics dominated the opening exchanges and did have the ball in the York net in the 6th minute but Stamp had helped a Jamie Mullan cross beyond the keeper with his hand. With virtually their first meaningful attack of the game "The Minstermen" scored an opening goal. Woolford combined with Robinson and his cross evaded Welch leaving BRODIE to get behind the Vics skipper and score from 12 yards.

Brodie got behind Welch again to win a corner and from the kick the same player had a shot deflected wide. Vics lost Byrom to an injury following a robust challenge from Woolford that surprisingly went unpunished, he was replaced by Carr. Vics continued to enjoy the greater possession without being able to conjure a chance in the final third of the field. But with half time approaching Tom Evans almost did the job for them. The York keeper left his goal and collected the ball wide to the right of his area but his booted clearance fell at the feet of Stamp 40 yards from a vacant goal, sadly his return shot, hit first time, spun inches wide of an empty net.

Elliott lost possession to Carr but his 20 yard shot lacked conviction and Evans saved easily. The Vics substitute was again in the thick of the action, this time at the other end, when he stole a Sodje cross from the boot of Panther to deny him a scoring opportunity.
Brodie got the better of Welch as he went to ground and his subsequent cross was dealt with by neither Belle nor Connett but York were unable to capitalise as the ball fizzed across goal.

Mullan beat Robinson to deliver a low cross that Brown ought to have done better than scuff his shot from 10 yards. In a rare York breach of the Vics defence Brodie forced Connett into a parried save. Otherwise Vics were the better team but continued to lack quality in their final delivery until Brown found BYRNE with a precise pass from the wide left and the Vics midfielder dropped his shoulder and turned to shoot across Evans and inside the far post.

Growing in stature Vics, and Mullan in particular, began to create goal scoring chances. The former Manchester United winger raced down the right to cut inside and square a pass to Crowell whose shot was heading for the top corner until Evans leapt to turn around his post. Stamp knocked down to Byrne and he hooked a shot into the ground and then watched the ball bounce wide of the far post with Evans defeated. Substitute Burns shrugged off two challenges to hit an angled shot into the side netting and although York did conjure a short spell of late pressure it was the home side that were happier to hang on for a point.

Team: 3-5-2
Connett /
Meadowcroft, Belle, Welch /
Mullan, Crowell, Byrne, Byrom (Carr 27), Brown /
Stamp, Steele (Burns 79) /
Attendance: 1,941
Man of the Match: Michael Byrne