MICHAEL Coulson is setting his sights on back-to-back wins to kick off 2014 despite the club ending this year without a victory in 11 matches.

The former Barnsley and Scarborough winger reckons the club’s fans deserve to witness their team take maximum points from this week’s home matches against Morecambe tomorrow and Dagenham on Saturday.

Impressive away followings of 717 and 925 travelled to the Minstermen’s respective festive fixtures at fellow Sky Bet League Two strugglers Accrington and Bury, where just one point was garnered from a possible six.

Coulson now feels that such “superb” support can assist the team in their efforts to get the New Year off to a winning start.

He said: “The support was superb at Bury. The fans got right behind us all game and made some noise.

“It definitely helps the team on the pitch when you hear the fans behind you.

“We have got two massive home games now and, as lads, we owe the fans a good performance so we need to make sure we lift ourselves.

“We are all looking at getting six points and, if the fans can get behind us and give us that extra boost we need, that will help us to get those wins. We have played both teams already this season.

“They were both tough games and these matches won’t be easy but we have been a bit unlucky with some of the draws over the last few weeks.

“We should have won some so, hopefully, we can get that next win and kick on.” The Minstermen fought out a goal-less draw with Morecambe last month and went down 2-0 at Dagenham in August.

Coulson believes the key to positive results during the return fixtures will be making a better start to the matches than the team managed at Bury, where the hosts netted after just 38 seconds and doubled their advantage on 18 minutes.

He added: “We were all really disappointed with the performance in the first half on Sunday.

“We didn’t get started and conceded a really early goal, which wasn’t what we had planned for.

“We gave ourselves a hard time and, at 2-0 down, we produced a spirited second half but, obviously, we had a mountain to climb and, unfortunately, we did not get the goals we needed.”


Match facts

Morecambe have only lost once in five previous league visits to Bootham Crescent, including a Conference promotion semi-final encounter in 2006/7.

City’s solitary success was in 2004/5 when Andy Bishop netted the only goal of the game from the penalty spot.

The following season the fixture was drawn 1-1 and in 2006/7 the Shrimps won here 3-2 and drew 0-0 in the play-off first leg match.

Last term, the clubs met for the first time in the Football League and Morecambe won at York 4-1.

Jason Walker scored from a penalty and the line up on February 2, 2013, was: Ingham, Obeng, Smith, O’Connell, Parslow, Potts (McDaid), Kerr, McLaughlin (Fyfield), Blair, Walker, Rodman (McReady).

It happened on January 1

1954: Dave Dunmore (2) and Campbell Burgess scored in a 3-1 win at Darlington in Division Three North.

1955: City won 2-1 away to Northern Section leaders Scunthorpe United with Norman Wilkinson and Billy Fenton on the scoresheet. The attendance at the Old Show Ground was 10,593.

1983: A 5-2 home win over Darlington in the Fourth Division with Denis Smith (2), Viv Busby and John Byrne (2) on target, watched by 3,679.

1987: Third Division (League One) leaders Middlesbrough were defeated 3-1 at Bootham Crescent in front of 8,611. The scorers were Martin Butler and Keith Walwyn (2).

2007: City won 3-1 at Morecambe in the Conference with goals from Clayton Donaldson, Craig Farrell and Steve Bowey.

2008: A 4-3 win at Droylsden thanks to Manny Panther, Craig Farrell and a couple of stoppage time goals netted by substitute Richard Brodie.

2011: Jonathan Smith, Neil Barrett and Leon Constantine were the marksmen in a 3-0 victory at Gateshead.

2013: City beat Burton Albion 3-0 at Bootham Crescent in League Two watched by 3,863 with Jason Walker (pen), Paddy McLaughlin and Matty Blair on the scoresheet.

Compiled by David Batters