York City 0 Southend United 0: York in need of showing more invention in attack

YORK City racked up a third consecutive clean sheet for the first time since returning to the Football League in 2012 following this goalless home draw with Southend United.

The Minstermen have gone just under five hours of play since last conceding a goal and finished February unbeaten despite failing to score at Bootham Crescent for a fourth successive match.

Ryan Bowman and Will Hayhurst were the only players to trouble Shrimpers goalkeeper Daniel Bentley during an afternoon of few chances at either end of the pitch.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

York manager Nigel Worthington was happy with his team’s efforts, however, saying: “Southend have been near the top of the table for most of the season so they are no mugs and they got themselves organised and made things difficult for us.

“The only thing that is missing at home is goals because I can’t fault the lads otherwise.

“We also got another clean sheet and have just got to keep using our imagination in that final third to create and score goals.

“We had three or four half-chances and, on another day, we would have stuck one in the net.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Southend only called York goalkeeper Nick Pope into two routine saves, from substitute Jack Payne and Ryan Leonard, although, in the first half, Kevan Hurst also fired wide and Lanre Oyebanjo almost put through his own goal.

The Minstermen’s right-back’s miscued clearance was spinning inside Pope’s left-hand upright seconds before the interval, but the on-loan Charlton player recovered to scramble the ball out for a corner.

York City: Pope; Oyebanjo, Lowe, McCombe, Davies; Carson, Penn, Reed, Hayhurst; Bowman (Jarvis, 71), Coulson (Dickinson, 90). Unused substitutes: McGurk, Montrose, Platt, Ingham, Puri.

Southend United: Bentley; White, Thompson, Bolger (Phillips, 79), Coker; Hurst, Timlin (Payne, 56), Atkinson, Leonard, Straker (Laird, 75); Corr. Unused substitutes: Smith, Eastwood, Williams, Gomis.

Referee: P Tierney (Wigan).

York man of the match: Lanre Oyebanjo

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Plymouth climbed up four places to 10th with a 2-1 win at Dagenham and Redbridge.

Reuben Reid’s fifth-minute opener for Plymouth was cancelled out by Zavon Hines in the 23rd minute, but Lewis Alessandra put the visitors back in front 10 minutes later.