City pile on more United woe
YORK City piled further misery on crisis-club Southend United with a deserved win at Roots Hall.
Goals from Fraser Kerr and Lenell John-Lewis sent the Minstermen into the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy in their first game since the dismissal of David Webb.
And Shrimpers boss Kevin Maher – whose players are still waiting to be paid for February – felt the visitors fully deserved their victory.
“I don’t think we ever really got going and we didn’t deserve anything from it,” said Maher. “We were pleased to come in at 0-0 and I thought we would sort out one or two things at half-time. But we conceded from a set-piece when one of our main headers is off the pitch.
“You’re chasing the game after that and you’re always susceptible to being done again too.”
However, Maher remains proud of his side who continue to battle in tough circumstances.
And he was keen to keep any blame away from them.
“People will look at it and think maybe it’s on me for changing the team and I’ll take that on the chin,” said Maher. “There were a few boos at the end too which is part and parcel of it.
“Unfortunately we didn’t get a result but the players we picked were more than good enough to get a result.
“There’s nothing on them or the players though, they should be proud of everything they’re doing.
“And the ultimate aim is to still get in the play-offs and get out of this league.”
However, Southend’s problems are mounting off the pitch with staff members at Roots Hall not paid since November.
The club are also back in court for a winding up petition, issued by HMRC, at the start of March.
And there was little to raise the spirits of the Shrimpers supporters in this tie which York – who had Michael Morton as interim manager – bossed.
Southend goalkeeper Blondy Nna Noukeu did well to tip a first-half shot from John-Lewis onto the crossbar before somehow keeping out a close range header from Max Kouogun.
But York went ahead in the 51st minute when Kerr headed home a right wing corner from Dan Pybus.
The Minstermen stayed on top with Adam Crookes seeing a close range effort ruled out for offside.
Southend rarely threatened at the other end of the field before York wasted a golden opportunity to seal their victory in the 87th minute when substitute Manny Duku saw his penalty kept out by man of the match Nna Noukeu.
However, the left-off was only temporary for Southend as just seconds later John-Lewis volleyed home from close range to send York into the last eight of the competition.