Eastbourne Borough 3 York City 1: Sloppy Minstermen are blasted by Foyle

Perhaps it was the realisation that they had clinched a promotion play-off place with three weeks to go which led to this way below par performance, but York certainly need to get back to somewhere near their best with crucial games looming.

Eastbourne have never been relegated in their history but went into this game fourth from the bottom. A determined effort was called for and given as they were deserving winners over lacklustre York.

York chief Martin Foyle pulled no punches. "They were a lot hungrier than we were. We didn't get our foot in, didn't tackle and didn't win headers. We were short of quality all round and I have given the players a good rocket and rightly so."

Eastbourne made good use of a very strong first-half wind and had the game won after 31 minutes when they were 3-0 up.

Poor defensive marking saw Matt Crabb score after 14 minutes and three minutes later he provided the corner from which the unchallenged Andy Atkin headed the second.

A close offside ruled out Jamie Taylor's 'goal' before Atkin, again unmarked, headed the third.

Michael Rankine pulled one back from the penalty spot after he had been brought down by Gary Elphick before the break but York never looked like getting back on terms despite second half pressure.

Eastbourne Borough: Knowles; Baker, Austin, Elphick, Jenkins; Rooney, Weatherstone, Smart (Brown 65), Crabb; Atkin (Enver-Marum 49), Taylor (Johnson 73). Unused substitutes: Pullan, Benjamin.

York City: Ingham; Purkiss, McGurk, Graham (Gash 86), Meredith; Lawless, Mackin (Smith 46), Harsley, Carruthers (Pitt 70); Rankine, Brodie. Unused substitutes: Parslow, Barrett.

Referee: C Berry (Surrey).

Man of the match: James Meredith.