Northampton Town 0 York City 2: Hero Cresswell in exit after helping York climb

YORK City manager Nigel Worthington hailed the impact of on-loan striker Richard Cresswell following his return to Sheffield United.

Cresswell suffered a calf injury in the Minstermen’s surprise victory at promotion-chasing Northampton on Saturday, but is now required by the Blades as part of new manager Chris Morgan’s coaching team.

The 35-year-old forward, who started his career at Bootham Crescent, has been a key figure during the four-game unbeaten run that has seen York climb out of the League Two drop zone.

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He has scored two goals in five outings and, on his contribution, Worthington said: “He’s been absolutely fantastic around the place. He’s a true pro and a York City fan through and through who has set an example for everybody at the club.”

Cresswell departed the action 41 minutes into the Sixfields encounter, where the visitors, who had not won an away game since December 1, were tackling a Cobblers side with 10 straight home victories behind them.

But Ashley Chambers’s 10th goal of the season gave York a seventh-minute lead and Northampton full-back John Johnson then put through his own net late on to double the advantage.

Chambers fired in between goalkeeper Lee Nicholls’s legs from Dan Parslow’s cross and Johnson turned in an 85th-minute cross from Matty Blair.

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The recalled Blair had earlier hit a post in front of an open goal and York goalkeeper Michael Ingham also produced a string of fine saves to deny Ben Tozer, Jake Robinson, Adebayo Akinfenwa and Roy O’Donovan.

York City: Ingham; Oyebanjo, Smith, Allan, O’Connell; Parslow, A Reed, Platt; Blair, Cresswell (Walker, 41), Chambers. Unused substitutes: Jameson, J Reed, Challinor, Doig, Coulson, Fyfield.

Northampton Town: L Nicholls; Johnson, Collins, Carlisle, Widdowson (Platt, 76), Hackett (Guttridge, 63), Harding, Tozer, Robinson (Moyo, 86), Akinfenwa, O’Donovan. Unused substitutes: Snedker, Cameron, Hornby, Dias.

Referee: G Sutton (Lincolnshire)

Man of the match: Dan Parslow.