York City manager Martin Foyle leaves penalty taking decision to Richard Brodie (From York Press)

York City manager Martin Foyle leaves penalty taking decision to Richard Brodie

11:17am Friday 19th March 2010 in

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YORK City manager Martin Foyle will leave leading scorer Richard Brodie to decide whether he takes his side’s next penalty.

Brodie failed to convert from 12 yards during Tuesday’s 1-0 victory over Mansfield, but has despatched all seven of his previous efforts from the spot this season.

Mansfield ’keeper Alan Marriott dived to his right– the same corner Brodie has aimed for with each of his previous kicks in 2009/10 – to save from the England ‘C’ international midway through the second period at Field Mill.

Marriott’s stop left Brodie without a goal in nine matches for the Minstermen, but Foyle will not be demanding he is relieved of penalty-taking duties.

On-loan Chesterfield midfielder Paul Harsley would be a strong candidate should Brodie decide to relinquish the responsibility.

Harsley has scored nine penalties in the Football League for previous clubs Port Vale, Macclesfield and Halifax.

Striker Michael Rankine also netted from the spot earlier this season against Forest Green but, speaking ahead of tomorrow’s home game with fellow Blue Square Premier play-off contenders AFC Wimbledon, Foyle said: “We will sit down with Brodes and leave the decision to him.

“Just because he’s missed one penalty should not overshadow the fact that he’s tucked seven away. He struck it well at Mansfield, but the ’keeper read it.

“Teams do their homework and it will be up to him whether he changes what he does if he takes another one. I would never blame a penalty taker, though, because you would be surprised how many players don’t want to take them.”

Foyle will again be without midfielders Alex Lawless and Chris Carruthers against Wimbledon, but both players will resume training today after recovering from their respective hamstring and ankle problems, with the City chief hoping they will play a part in Wednesday’s North Riding Senior Cup semi-final at Northallerton Town.

He added: “We have no other worries, which is great with nine games to go.”

Foyle also paid tribute to the recent impact made by new signings Harsley, Jamie Clarke and Courtney Pitt, with the trio expected to carry on in midfield as Levi Mackin also serves the second game of a two-match suspension.

The City boss said: “Clarkey did a fantastic job at Mansfield having been a bit leggy and tired at Altrincham because he hasn’t played a lot of football.

“Paul Harsley can run all day and plays a bit like (City assistant manager) Andy Porter did. He gets your team playing and settles things down at the right times.

“If you feed Courtney the ball, as well, he has the ability to beat people. He has a spark we’ve probably been lacking.

“I felt we had to change things and now we’ve got Adam Smith, another player who can excite, champing at the bit in the background.”

Foyle played Pitt as a roving third striker at Mansfield, but will consider the opposition’s strengths before deciding whether to use him in a similar manner tomorrow.

He said: “That system suited us at Mansfield because we wanted Jamie Clarke to cut off the aerial supply to their two strikers so we sacrificed Adam Smith. Because everybody else did their jobs correctly, it allowed Courtney to pop up on the right wing, the left wing and in behind our strikers.”

About the threat posed by Wimbledon, who lie four points behind fifth-placed City with a game in hand, Foyle added: “They will be big, strong and physical. We had a battle with them down there when we won 1-0 and I don’t think it will be any different at our place.”