LEN’S THE SAVIOUR FOR HINSH
LENELL John-Lewis’ 90th-minute winner ensured Adam Hinshelwood bagged his first three points as York City manager with a crucial victory over Aldershot Town.
Hinshelwood’s side responded to their 6-1 collapse to Altrincham in midweek with a battling performance against play-off chasing Aldershot, who had won five of their last six matches heading into the contest.
The win was a relief for York, with it being their first three points in over a month of National League football, as the gap to safety narrows to just one point.
An emotional Hinshelwood felt the relief, saying: “I thought that the performance was excellent, from start to finish, I’ve got to give full credit to the players.
“I am just so grateful that we have managed to get three points today, because after playing that well and not coming away with all three points, it would have been really tough for the players. I’m so grateful for that.
“I’m not even religious but I was praying to absolutely everyone.
“I was hoping we could get across the line when that corner came in, sometimes as a manager you get some luck from your subs and I said to Lenny to go on and be a hero. He’s done that today.
“I’m just so grateful, they’ve got the intelligence to find him at the far post there and Len is an absolutely pure gentlemen. He’s a cool character in the dressing room and I couldn’t be more chuffed for him.
“It’s that emotion, only football can do it to you, but the lads were distraught. We had to come in on Wednesday and we had to show them, we’ve had to work hard on the training pitch.
“As much as it is a good feeling for me, I am just so chuffed for the players.”
Both sides were into the action early on, as Rory Watson was forced to tip Stuart O’Keefe’s volley over the crossbar, before Dipo Akinyemi’s tame strike was held by Jordi van Stappershoef.
Billy Chadwick had the ball in the back of the net only to be ruled out by the offside flag, before Grimsby Town loanee Alex Hunt saw a venomous strike fall narrowly over the crossbar.
Dylan Kadji almost put Aldershot ahead, but was denied by the palms of Watson, before Callum Howe’s header was dramatically cleared after a goalmouth scramble.
The Minstermen looked to build on an encouraging first-half but Maziar Kouhyar’s close-ranged strike was blocked, before Akinyemi saw a volley kept out through a crowd of Aldershot bodies.
Watson was again on hand to keep the Shots out, denying Josh Barrett after a well-worked move down the right hand side carved out an opportunity.
But with minutes remaining on the clock, it would be York to steal the three points, as John-Lewis powered home from Howe’s header with his very first touch, claiming what could be a vital victory. STAR MAN: Marvin Armstrong (York) ATT: 4,309 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Andrew Miller