YORK LEFT LOOKING OVER THEIR SHOULDER

YORK City slipped to within just two points of the National League relegation zone after failing to capitalise on their possession against Maidenhead United.

Neal Ardley’s side were denied a vital three points despite consistent pressure on the Maidenhead defence, who stood strong to deny York the perfect homecoming in their first home match in over five weeks.

Ardley had outlined his respect for opposite number Alan Devonshire pre-match, but even he wouldn’t have expected to go behind just 17 minutes into the contest after a sublime strike from Ashley Nathaniel-George.

A comical own goal from Sam Beckwith did pull City back into the contest, but it wouldn’t be enough to earn maximum points.

“The point is not good enough, we don’t want the point but I can only focus on the performance,” Ardley said.

“Dipo [Akinyemi] had the one where he hit the post, Paddy [McLaughlin] had the one where if it dropped to him then it would have been a good and Will Davies had one in the first half.

“I think we’d have done enough on another day to have gone on and won the game, we limited them to very little.

“The energy, the effort, the tempo was very good but it was one of those days. It’s football.

“We’re down near the bottom and we’re scrapping for our lives but I see a team with great team spirit that run hard, are fit and strong, and are giving everything. That’s where it’s got to start when you’re near the bottom.”

It was almost the perfect start for York when Davies stung the gloves of Craig Ross from distance, almost propelling City in front.

But it would be Maidenhead to edge in front on 16 minutes as a swift counter-attack saw Nathaniel-George dance through two challenges before arrowing an effort into the top left corner, leaving George Sykes-Kenworthy starstruck.

York responded in the perfect fashion from a deep cross that caused issues for Maidenhead, with Ross producing an exceptional low save to deny Dipo Akinyemi, before Beckwith bizarelly sliced his attempted clearance into the roof of his own net, drawing the Minstermen level.

Callum Howe tested Ross with a powerful header, before Akinyemi also scored a contender for goal-of-the-season, expertly turning his man and unleashing a venomous strike from 30-yards out; only to be denied by the post.

Akinyemi was again involved when dragging a frustrating strike narrowly wide of the target, before Beckwith’s deep header almost found Jayden Mitchell-Lawson at the back post, but he couldn’t apply the finishing touch.

York’s late pressure was defended valiantly by the visitors, much to the frustrations of over 4,600 City supporters.