York City 1 Forest Green Rovers 0: Our season starts now, says York chief Mills ahead of the play-offs

York took their tally to 83 points, a total only beaten in a 90-year history in 1984 when they won the Fourth Division title with 101.

Forest Green goalkeeper Sam Russell had an armchair afternoon, York’s much-changed side posing few threats. Ironically, Russell’s only mistake decided the game.

With Wednesday’s play-off first leg semi-final at home to Mansfield in mind, Gary Mills rotated his squad, only five of the team which beat Braintree a week ago being in the starting line-up.

For a long time, it seemed as though the plan would fail as Forest Green looked the better side, Matt Taylor hitting Paul Musselwhite’s right-hand post in the first half.

It was Musselwhite to the rescue with a brilliant low save from Taylor a minute after the interval, and six minutes from time Taylor was desperately unlucky when he beat Musselwhite with a header only to see the ball rebound back into the arms of the York goalkeeper, who was standing three yards off his line.

Still, with three clean sheets from three successive 1-0 wins as deputy for the injured Michael Ingham, Musselwhite will be pleased with his efforts.

The game was settled on 82 minutes when Danny Pilkington’s fine run down the left and low cross saw Adriano Moke score with a shot which went under Russell, who got a hand to the ball.

Mills said: “It was not the best of games but it was good to have another clean sheet. Now the season starts for us.”

York City: Musselwhite; Challinor, Parslow, Doig, Fyfield; Potts, Brown, Moke; Blinkhorn (Pilkington 56), Ashikodi (Reed 56), Tonne (Kelly 76). Unused substitutes: White, McLaughlin.

Forest Green Rovers: Russell; Hodgkiss, Turley, Oshidi, Stokes; Klukowski, Forbes, Collins; Uwezu (Rowe 80), Taylor (Steyche 76), Norwood. Unused substitutes: Todd, Graham, Pooke.

Referee: R Merchant (Staffs).

Man of the match: Chris Doig.