WALK IN THE ‘PARK’
Minstermen on the march as Mills gives players survival belief
VERDICT: Is operation survival on its way? York are making all the right noises to maintain their National League status and are becoming a tough side to breakdown. Watch this space!
YORK City boss Gary Mills ticked off the first of 12 games he believes his relegationthreatened team can win during the final two months of the season. Mills’ bold statement was made prior to his side’s 3-1 home victory over Eastleigh following the midweek point at table-topping Lincoln, and the Minstermen lifted themselves off the bottom of the table thanks to a brace from the age-less Jon Parkin and Vadaine Oliver’s late strike. In between, York keeper Kyle Letheren’s blunder saw Ross Stearn reduce the deficit and sub Tyler Garratt hit the post, but the hosts – who moved off the bottom with this win and have only lost two of their last 16 games, also saw Oliver test the crossbar and an Amari MorganSmith effort cleared off the line during an entertaining contest. Reiterating his target of a dozen straight victories, Mills said: “I’ve got a squad that is capable of winning all our remaining matches if we stay fit and focused. “I know football doesn’t work like that, but it’s nice to know we have the ability to do it. “We deserved this win, because their goal was a complete mess and, at 2-0, I was expecting us to complete the job with a third and keep a clean sheet. “When their shot then hit the post and went across the goal, I thought it was going to be our day, but it was still a relief when Vadaine got the third goal.” Parkin opened the scoring on seven minutes when he volleyed in
from five yards at the far post after Oliver had flicked on Sean Newton’s long throw from the left with his head.
The 35-year-old veteran’s second on 13 minutes, meanwhile, came after Simon Heslop hurled the ball in from the opposite flank, with Oliver again meeting it in the air and Parkin prodding home from a yard closer.
The Spitfires were handed a route back into the game, though, by one of the biggest goalkeeping bloopers of the season.
Stearn’s poor inswinging free kick from the left saw Letheren fail completely in his attempt to catch the ball, which then bounced between his legs into the net.
After the break, Morgan-Smith was denied from four yards by a brilliant Gavin Hoyte clearance, while Garratt hit the inside of Letheren’s left-hand upright with a thumping 25-yard attempt.
But, after Ryan Clarke had tipped his looping header onto the bar, Oliver wrapped up matters in the 81st minute, holding off Ayo Obileye to steer a low ten-yard shot past the former Oxford keeper.
Eastleigh are still to register a win during 2017 and caretaker chief Richard Hill admitted: “You can’t start a game of football 2-0 down after 15 minutes and expect to win.
“We need to defend situations like that better and we were on the back foot straight away.”
“I have got a squad that is capable of winning all our remaining matches if we stay fit and focused” Gary Mills York City manager “You can’t start a game of football 2-0 down after 15 minutes and expect to win. We need to defend better” Richard Hill Eastleigh manager