FOUR-GOAL CITY BACK IN GROOVE
On-loan Kurt at the double
THE NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH title race is alive and kicking after York City trimmed the gap on leaders King’s Lynn Town to just one point after a convincing victory over play-off hopefuls Chester.
AFC Fylde loanee Kurt Willoughby’s brace and Sean Newton and Kieran Green’s efforts sent the Minstermen on their way to the three points, while Jamie Morgan and George Glendon were on target for Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley’s side, who finished the game with ten men after Morgan saw red for a second yellow card.
The game started at a frenetic pace in a swirling wind at Bootham Crescent, as York hit the front on nine minutes when Newton headed home from close range following a corner.
But against the run of play Chester found a leveller on 15 minutes, when Elton Ngwatala did well to win a loose ball and find Akwasi Asante, who then fed the run of Morgan and he drilled a low shot across
City keeper Peter Jameson and into the bottom corner.
Parity didn’t last for long however, as the home side hit the front again on 22 minutes when Chester struggled to deal with another corner and Green nodded past Russ Griffiths in the Blues goal from 12 yards after a spell of head tennis as the visitors attempted to clear their lines.
Danny Livesey wasted a great chance with an unmarked header from a Glendon corner on 34 minutes, before York extended their advantage five minutes before the break when Green was given time on the edge of the area to cross into the six-yard box, where Willoughby was on hand to beat a static Griffiths to the ball and poke home.
It left Chester with a mountain to climb at the break, and the Minstermen began the stronger of the two sides in the second half.
But it was the visitors who struck first and gave their 677 fans a glimmer of hope when Glendon finished well inside the area after York couldn’t deal with a Joel Taylor cross.
But any hope of a fightback was short-lived, as Newton was allowed to maraud 40 yards with the ball and get a shot away. Griffiths parried clear, but with sub James Jones unable to clear his lines and Newton then whipping a delightful ball back in, Willoughby was able to glance into the far corner to seal the points for Steve Watson’s side.
Chester’s task got even greater when Morgan saw red for a needless second yellow with 20 minutes remaining.
York saw the game out comfortably to give their title hopes a shot in the arm after leaders King’s Lynn fell to a surprise 2-0 home defeat to Kidderminster.
Chester drop to fourth after back-to-back defeats.