Hartlepool United 2 York City 0: York are undermined by Carson’s late error

JOSH Carson was held accountable for York City’s first defeat in 2014.

They lost at Hartlepool following well-struck, late goals from teenage pair Luke James and Jack Barmby. But York manager Nigel Worthington felt Northern Ireland international Carson handed the hosts a chance to win the game with the 82nd-minute free-kick he conceded which led to James’s opening goal.

“It was a very, very good performance by us for 82 minutes,” Worthington said.

“We were very strong, resilient and competed well but the first goal disappointed me because Josh gave away a stupid free-kick 20 yards from goal.

“It’s those little things that can be the fine margins between losing and winning games and you have to learn from these situations.”

In an even first half, York goalkeeper Nick Pope reacted well to snuff out an early chance for James and Carson missed the visitors’ best opportunity from Michael Coulson’s cross.

After the break, visiting strikers Ryan Jarvis and Wes Fletcher called Scott Flinders into a fine double save and Keith Lowe blazed wastefully over the bar on 78 minutes.

Moments later, Colin Cooper’s men forged ahead after Carson’s foul just inside the touchline.

James went on to drive a shot into Pope’s bottom right-hand corner from the edge of the penalty box after Jack Baldwin had headed down Simon Walton’s left-wing delivery.

On-loan Manchester United winger Barmby – the son of former England international Nick – wrapped up matters with an excellent goal on his professional debut.

Receiving the ball from fellow loan signing Luke Williams on 89 minutes, Barmby curled an unstoppable, 20-yard effort into Pope’s top right-hand corner.

Hartlepool United: Flinders; Baldwin, Burgess, Austin, Holden; Walton, Monkhouse (Barmby 78), Walker, Williams; Harewood (Franks, 69), James. Unused substitutes: Rafferty, Collins, Compton, Sweeney, Rodney.

York City: Pope; Oyebanjo, Lowe, McGurk, Davies; Carson, Montrose, Penn, Coulson; Bowman (Jarvis, 29, McCombe, 85), Fletcher. Unused substitutes: Smith, Platt, Ingham, Dickinson, Reed.

Referee: I Williamson (Berkshire).

Man of the match: Nick Pope.