Newport County 0-2 York City: Blair repeats heroics as Minstermen win FA Trophy

By no means the better team, York nevertheless secured their first national cup success with two second-half goals in the space of eight minutes.

Matty Blair, the Trophy semi-final hero against Luton and the man who sealed York’s place at next week’s Blue Square Bet Premier play-off final, opened the scoring on 65 minutes.

Ashley Chambers played him through with a speculative ball over the top and Blair beat the onrushing Newport goalkeeper Glyn Thompson to loft it over his head.

Then on 73 minutes Lanre Oyebanjo doubled the lead when he tapped the ball home in the centre of the goal after good work down the right flank by Chambers.

Newport’s top scorer Romone Rose missed a golden opportunity to open the scoring on nine minutes when he was sent clean through but he shot straight at York goalkeeper Michael Ingham.

After an edgy start the Minstermen grew into the game. Patrick McLaughlin had a shot deflect agonisingly wide and then Chambers cut in from the left only to see his right-foot shot blocked.

Rose and Nat Jarvis then both had long-range efforts that narrowly missed the target, York guilty on both occasions of backing off.

Just before half-time, Jon Challinor got forward from right-back and forced Thompson into a save, before Lee Minshull blasted wide for Newport.

Blair grabbed the opening goal on 65 minutes when he beat Thompson to the ball to loft it over him.

Eight minutes later York doubled their advantage when Jon Challinor deftly sent Chambers down the right. He got to the byline and crossed low and in front of goal to Oyebanjo who had the simplest of tap-ins.

Ismail Yakubu hit the post in the dying moments for Newport but York hung on.

They are back at Wembley next Sunday for the play-off final against Luton Town.

Team news: Minstermen manager Gary Mills has made one change to the side that booked a place at next weekend’s Blue Square Bet Premier play-off final against Luton Town.

Mills has brought back defender Ben Gibson after a four-match ban for the unfortunate Chris Doig who drops out altogether.

Newport were weakened by the absence of their first-choice goalkeeper Karl Darlow, whose loan from Nottingham Forest was deemed to have not been completed before the semi-final first leg back in March.

For the full report and reaction read Sports Monday, free inside your Yorkshire Post.