YORK 2 HARRIERS 3 - REPORT (From Worcester News)

YORK 2 HARRIERS 3 - REPORT

12:45am Tuesday 20th December 2011 in Reports

Harriers stretched their unbeaten run in all competitions to eight games with this remarkable yet thoroughly-deserved 3-2 win over play-off favourites York City.

Steve Burr's men may not have arrived at Bootham Crescent as firm favourites with the bookmakers – rather many had this one down as the proverbial home 'banker' ahead of kick-off, even in light of the visitors' own form.

In their own typical style, Harriers made a mockery of such projections as they flew out of the blocks and created chances from the first minute – Kyle Storer and Callum Gittings both went close before Jack Byrne finally did give them the lead; crouching down low to head a Mickey Demetriou cross past Nick Ingham and into the top of the net.

Many a headline in the weeks prior to the clash had centred around York's wide-man and former Harrier Matty Blair after the player's departure from Aggborough for the north back in the summer – it was perhaps written that he would get on the score sheet on the night but his 20th minute equaliser – an easy-enough conversion from a few yards out – was immediately overshadowed by Harriers as they immediately went back in front.

The influential Jamille Matt was involved, flicking the ball into the path of Gittings who took a touch before confidently lifting it over Ingham and into the back of the net off the upright.

Matt then netted himself Harriers extended their lead further and took real control of the game with their third goal and the best of the night; the striker hustling Jamal Fyfield off the ball, charging down on goal and powering the ball into the back of the net and taking his own personal tally for the season to ten.

Goalkeeper Tony Breeden was back in the side for Harriers after missing the two FA Trophy ties against Vauxhall Motors through being cup-tied and he was forced into one or two routine saves – his best stop, though, coming from the penalty spot as he palmed away an Ashley Chambers effort after Luke Jones handled in the area.

Breeden, who is cementing a reputation of his own at Aggborough, was helpless to prevent City scoring their second on 68 minutes as Tom Sharpe nodded into his own net after catching a glancing Dave McGurk header.

With the scores at 3-2 the majority of the 2,800 crowd willed York on to find what would have been an undeserved equaliser – the 56 travelling fans, many dressed in Santa suits, eventually able to revel in their team's latest win that saw them move level on points with Luton Town as the busy Christmas period approaches.

“To come here and get three points was fantastic and I thought for our first-half performance alone we deserved it,” commented assistant boss Gary Whild on the final whistle, as his team edge ever closer to the Premier's top five.

“Coming here you are going to be asked to defend a little bit and the lads did that tonight; we're a young team and the result was a tribute to all the hard work they've done.”

York: Ingham, Meredith, McGurk, Fyfield, Kerr, Pilkington (Ashikodi 53), Boucaud (Moke 53), Blair, Challinor, McLaughlin, Chambers (Parslow 83) Unused subs: Oyebanjo, Smith.

Harriers: Breeden, Vaughan, Jones, Sharpe, Demetriou, Hankin, Byrne, Gittings (Wright 46), Storer, Hendrie (Marc Williams 69), Matt (Guinan 88).

Unused subs: Lyness, Wright, Mike Williams.