GOING DOWN TO THE WIRE!
YORK City slipped back into the relegation zone and will be relying on other results to go their way to survive after battling to a hard-earned point at Woking.
But it could have been worse for Gary Mills’ side had Jon Parkin not come to the rescue in the second half to cancel out Gozie Ugwu’s nerveless penalty.
It was a typical scrappy relegation six-pointer that leaves the Cards knowing a point at Dagenham & Redbridge will be enough to secure their National League status for next season.
The Minstermen’s situation is far from ideal but boss Mills, with a visit from thirdplaced Forest Green to come, is remaining upbeat with his battling men. He said: “As always, my group of players have given absolutely everything and to go a goal down and fight back again to get the equaliser shows just what they’re about.
“Obviously dropping back in the bottom four is a disappointment, but it is what it is. We have to go and win a game of football next week, we’ve got to win. We know that’s the case now.
“We had chances after we equalised, but I can’t ask any more from my players. I thought they were immense again today.”
In just the second minute, Keiran Murtagh’s ball over the York defence was latched on to by Ugwu but his shot, after goalkeeper Scott Loach initially denied him, was cleared off the line.
The visitors responded to this early scare through veteran Parkin, who flashed an effort wide before Hamza Bencherif shot over in the 20th minute.
The Cards almost edged in front on the half hour mark as Kane Ferdinand’s header drifted beyond the far post, just out of Connor Hall’s reach. Parkin’s long-range free-kick in the opening minute of the second half was superbly tipped over by Michael Poke before Amari Morgan-Smith’s header from the resulting corner went inches wide.
That was the wake-up call Woking needed and after Ugwu dragged an effort offtarget, Delano Sam-Yorke, having beaten two York players, was bundled over in the box by Sean Newton.
Ugwu stepped up and converted his third spot-kick in as many games for his 17th league goal.
Woking were in the ascendancy and Sam-Yorke’s powerful near-post effort was well saved by Loach.
York looked bereft of ideas until Mills brought on Sam Muggleton and it was his long throw that was controlled by Parkin and fired in.
Poke made an important late save to deny Vadaine Oliver, leaving Woking manager Garry Hill with mixed emotions at gaining a point.
“The number one thing is that you don’t want to get beat but we wanted to be safe today,” he said.
“It was a fair result and it’s going to the last game. It’s a funny league this year, we’ve never seen the bottom six or eight like this. We’re on 52 points now and we’re still not safe.
“We have to prepare ourselves for the final game next week.”