Report: Thriller at Bootham Crescent as York win 5-3 against Southport

Fans at Bootham Crescent were treated to an eight goal thriller as York City ran out 5-3 winners against fellow relegation strugglers Southport on Tuesday evening.

At a point in the first half 1-3 down, the Minstermen went in at half time just one goal behind thanks to a Vadaine Oliver injury time header. Then followed a truly excellent second half performance, two goals from Jon Parkin and one from Amari Morgan-Smith turning the game around.

Before the match, Southport and York were first and third-bottom of the table respectively, and as such the loser's hopes of surviving relegation would be severely dented. With the win, City's league position hasn't changed though the gap to safety is now just five points with nine games left to play. Attack like they did today, furthermore, and fans can be more than just hopeful of staying in the league.

It was a frantic first half, the first of five goals arriving after just four minutes through the right boot of Sean Newton, who jinked past three defenders before firing past Craig King in the Southport goal via a Liam Hynes deflection.

But a quarter of an hour later and the visitors had equalised, this the first of three incresingly impressive efforts. Played in down the left channel, Louis Almond turned Shaun Rooney at the byline too easily, before bending a shot into the far right hand corner of Kyle Letheren's goal from a tight angle.

And the City keeper could not be blamed for Southport's second either, which followed just a minute later. Finding space in midfield, and with no obvious danger for the City defence, left back Rory McKeown picked his head up and rifled into the top left corner from 30 yards.

With the scoreline suddenly turned against them the Minstermen looked to strike back, coming closest to an equaliser when King bravely smothered an Oliver effort from point blank range.

But it was Southport who found the back of the net next, their third and Almond's second of the match. A long pass forward found the striker with his back to goal 25 yards out. Turning and striking on the half volley, the ball flew past the gawping Letheren to disrupt the netting in the top left corner of the goal once again.

Two goals down heading into the break, Oliver's goal two minutes into injury time proved vital, heading in from close range from a lofted Jon Parkin cross from the right. That momentum would prove key heading into the second half, something Gary Mills looked to capitalise on by replacing Aidan Connolly with the ever-energetic Adriano Moke at half time.

And the York City side that came out in the second half was virtually non-stop attack, the movement of the front three of Parkin, Morgan-Smith and Oliver testing a defence which has conceded 20 more goals than anyone else in the National League.

After 20 minutes of relentless attack, the equaliser arrived, a deep Amari Morgan-Smith cross from the left was controlled expertly by the broad chest of Parkin, his next touch a swinging left boot past the diving King.

Singled out for praise afterwards by Mills, Parkin's display was of the highest quality. His ball control, awareness and passing range all belong in a higher division than where he currently is, and when he gets it right defences are unable to deal with what the challenges he poses.

So it was to be for York's fourth of the evening, a wonderful lofted through ball from Parkin gave Morgan-Smith acres of space to slot it under King from eight yards, composure that should be admired given how much time he had to think about where he wanted to place the ball. 70 minutes after going ahead in the fourth minute of the match, therefore, York had retaken the lead, now 4-3 up.

Five minutes later and City's fifth added some gloss to the result. New signing Sam Muggleton, introduced midway through the second half, launched a momentous long throw into the penalty area from midway in the Southport half, much to the surprise of virtually everyone in Bootham Crescent. Everyone, that is, except for Parkin, whose simple flick was enough to divert the ball home.

With ten minutes of the second half to play and 5-3 down, Southport finally showed some attacking intent, a baffling absence from their second half performance given the trouble they'd caused the Minstermen in the first 45. But it was too little too late, and York held off for a win that stretches their unbeaten run to six games.

By Peter Rogers, York City Reporter

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