Eastleigh 1 York 1: Yan Klukowski shines on recall for Minstermen
Simon Heslop’s 77th-minute equaliser secured a 1-1 draw against the Hampshire promotion hopefuls after Mikael Mandron had opened the scoring earlier in the second half.
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Hide AdBut, most encouragingly, a visiting side who have seen five late goals cost them a total of nine points this term, held on despite being a man down for the final 10 minutes after Clovis Kamdjo was stretchered off with suspected cruciate ligament damage and all three substitutions had been made.
York chief Gary Mills gave starts to new signings Danny Holmes, Robbie McDaid and Adriano Moke – the latter making his second debut for the Minstermen – but members of his inherited squad also impressed, particularly previously out-of-favour attacking midfielder Yan Klukowski, who was surprisingly employed as the centre-back in a three-man defence.
On his side’s display, Mills said: “I know we didn’t test their keeper much, but we kept our shape and discipline well and I honestly think if Clovis had not gone off we would have won the game, because we looked the stronger team at that point.”
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Hide AdMandron headed home on 53 minutes but Heslop levelled when he raced on to Holmes’s through ball and beat Ryan Clarke with a 10-yard finish.
Without Kamdjo, the Minstermen then survived a late onslaught.
Eastleigh: Clarke; Partington, Essam, Johnson, Green; Coulson, Drury (Reason, 90), Taylor, Santos (Cureton, 76); Constable (Bird, 76), Mandron. Unused substitutes: Huddart, Obileye.
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Hide AdYork City: Flinders; Kamdjo, Klukowski, Fry; Heslop, Holmes, Moke, Whittle (Rooney, 60); Cooper (Brodie, 59), McDaid, Galbraith (Rzonca, 59). Unused substitutes: Nti, Fenwick.
Referee: A Young.
Man of the match: Yan Klukowski.