York City 1 Eastbourne Borough 0: Mills seeks new striker as York fail to turn superiority into goals

Four or five goals should have been the margin, but York’s finishing was not in line with their fine approach work and so Eastbourne, who seem destined for relegation on this evidence, escaped lightly.

The match was settled by Michael Rankine’s 16th-minute glancing header from Peter Till’s cross from the left wing.

Eastbourne, who began with a 4-5-1 formation, never looking like getting back on terms, not having a shot on target in the 90 minutes.

Rankine should have scored from James Meredith’s centre but saw his shot go inches wide, and centre-back Chris Smith twice somehow contrived to head down and see his efforts bounce over the bar, first from Parslow’s quality cross and then from David McDermott’s corner.

Smith, normally so dependable, was not at his best and completed an unhappy day by being cautioned following a skirmish with Eddie Hutchinson.

In contrast, his centre-back partner, Danny Parslow, was a clear man of the match.

Manager Gary Mills is likely to move for a striker on loan in a bid to end the goals drought.

Meanwhile, the Minstermen have two worries going into tomorrow’s home match with Mansfield, wide men Till (thigh) and Ashley Chambers (hamstring) both being rated doubtful.

With four wins and two draws from their last six games and only two goals conceded, York are well-placed for the play-offs, seven of their 11 remaining games being at home.

York City: Ingham; Darville, C Smith, Parslow, Meredith; J Smith, Kerr, McDermott (Boucaud 87); Chambers (Reed 64), Rankine, Till (Hatfield 64). Unused substitutes: McGurk, Constantine.

Eastbourne Borough: Banks; Baker, Austin, Kelly, Jenkins; Taylor, Smart, Strevett (Johnson 46), Hutchinson, Brinkhurst (Weatherstone 83); Pacquette (Demetriou 87). Unused substitute: Elphick – Eastbourne only had four replacements.

Referee: D Handley (Bolton).

Man of the match: Danny Parslow.