York aim to bounce back in rehearsal

YORK City lost on the road for the first time since December 3 after Dagenham & Redbridge substitute Frankie Raymond secured a win for the play-off hopefuls.

The Minstermen remain five points from safety following a match in which they hit the woodwork twice through Amari Morgan-Smith and Dan Parslow.

But Paul Benson also had a chance cleared off the line by fit-again York left-back Alex Whittle and on-loan visitors’ debutant Scott Loach made an impressive save from Elliot Romain prior to Raymond’s decisive strike.

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York manager Gary Mills insisted that the scoreline was harsh, adding: “It all came down to one bit of quality from their lad for the goal, but we hit the bar and post and I couldn’t see us losing.

“We didn’t deserve to and I thought we were going to win. We had chances to do that, so it was a disappointing and tough day.”

After Whittle prevented Benson’s first-half effort from crossing the line, Morgan-Smith’s looping header bounced back into play off the bar seconds before the interval.

A hopeful forward ball by Parslow was then allowed to bounce against a post by goalkeeper Elliott Justham, who gathered from the rebound.

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After keeping out Romain’s powerful header, former England Under-21 international Loach, recruited from Notts County, was beaten by a curling 15-yard effort from Raymond on 82 minutes.

York will look to bounce back at Macclesfield tomorrow night in a match that will also serve as a rehearsal for the Wembley FA Trophy final.

Dagenham & Redbridge: Justham; Williams, Staunton, Doe, Widdowson; Robson, Guttridge (Raymond, 78), Howell, Whitely; Benson, Romain. Unused substitutes: Cousins, Robinson, Maguire-Drew, Ling.

York City: Loach; Parslow, Bencherif, Newton; Heslop, Hall (Connolly, 88), Moke (Fenwick, 88), Whittle; Oliver, Parkin, Morgan-Smith (Muggleton, 78). Unused substitutes: Holmes, Rooney.

Referee: C Brook (East Sussex).

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