YORK City will complete a full year without winning an away match following a 2-1 defeat at Wrexham.
The Minstermen have now gone 26 matches on the road since their last victory - a 3-0 triumph at Newport on September 5.
It had been hoped that a return to Wales might prove a lucky omen but former boss Gary Mills’ Racecourse Ground outfit claimed maximum points despite Richard Brodie netting for a fourth straight game.
Brodie’s 24th-minute equaliser was another sublime finish but the Minstermen could not capitalise on a dominant spell afterwards when the hosts looked anxious.
But the losses of Yan Klukowski on the stroke of half-time and energetic on-loan striker Jake Wright, in particular, just past the hour then saw City lose momentum and wilt during a second half in which they mustered just two shots – weak off-target attempts from subs Scott Fenwick and Clovis Kamdjo.
Earlier, John Rooney had lofted the first opportunity of the match well over from 30 yards on 11 minutes whilst, at the other end, Alex Whittle led a swift counter attack before releasing Aidan Connolly through the right channel, but City’s diminutive Scotsman fired too high from 15 yards.
The Welsh side then forged in front on 17 minutes when, after hopeful penalty cries for handball against Shaun Rooney, Paul Rutherford lifted the ball past Matt Fry and teased a trip out of the City vice captain.
Rooney blasted the resulting spot kick down the middle and, despite the ball hitting Kyle Letheren’s trailing leg, he could not prevent the Dragons from taking the lead.
As against Woking, though, the Minstermen summoned a spirited response to falling behind and, after Brodie had headed wide from a Simon Heslop free kick, he levelled matters in typically clinical fashion.
Following a patient move down the right, Connolly’s deep cross was collected by Jake Wright who, in turn, fed Brodie.
The City striker then cut inside his marker before curling a ten-yard, right-footed effort into Shwan Jalal’s bottom corner.
His goal led to a nervous period for the hosts with Connolly volleying wide from an Alex Whittle cross and then sending a 20-yard drive whistling just over following Matty Dixon’s square pass.
Shaun Rooney’s header from a Heslop right-wing cross also called Jalal into acrobatic action before Wrexham regained their composure with Rutherford smacking a 20-yard attempt over after Rooney’s corner had tempted Letheren into a poor punch.
Another Rooney flag kick also picked out an unmarked Hazma Bencherif, but his downward header bounced wide in a forewarning of later danger.
Wright went on to see a 15-yard strike deflected over after more positive play by Whittle on the stroke of half-time.
A quiet start to the second half saw Kai Edwards’ 20-yard half-volley drift off target on the hour mark and, moments later, City teenager Callum Rzonca was sent on for only his third senior outing, all of which have come in Wales following previous cameos at Swansea and Newport.
The visitors fell behind for a second time on 63 minutes, though, after good defending from Fry had seen him head behind.
City did not cope as well with Rooney’s subsequent left-wing corner as Newton was left unchallenged to power a firm header past Letheren.
Newton went on to drill wide from the edge of the box and Shaun Harrad hoisted a great eight-yard chance over.
For City, Fenwick mishit an edge-of-the-box volley well wide and an ambitious 35-yard attempt by fellow replacement Kamdjo sailed, meaning the Minstermen have now taken a sorry six points from a possible 72 on their travels.
City
Kyle Letheren: 6 – left vulnerable for two goals and had little else to do
Shaun Rooney: 7 – competed well and pushed forward to support attacks
Ben Clappison: 7 – rarely caught out at back and kept a calm head throughout
Matt Fry: 6 – a little flat-footed for penalty when he dangled a leg out for Rutherford to fall over
Alex Whittle: 7 – drove team forward from left back in first half, not as prominent in second
Matty Dixon: 6 – less involved than in recent games and some passes went astray
Simon Heslop: 7 – switched play well at times and well positioned to make important tackles
Yan Klukowski: 7 – strong presence in middle of park prior to first-half injury
Aidan Connolly: 7 – tormented Wrexham with roving runs before he was better contained in second half
STAR MAN Richard Brodie: 7 – another fine finish and put himself about in usual manner
Jake Wright: 7 – produced a really good hour of work before having to depart due to injury
Substitutes: Clovis Kamdjo 5 – sloppy (for Klukowski, 43), Callum Rzonca 5 – quiet (for Wright, 61), Scott Fenwick (for Dixon, 76).
Subs not used: Jack Higgins, Luke Simpson.
Wrexham
Shwan Jalal, Mark Carrington, Hamza Bencherif, Curtis Tilt, Sean Newton, Kai Edwards, Anthony Barry, John Rooney, Paul Rutherford, Shaun Harrad (Gerry McDonagh, 87), Tyler Harvey (Callum Powell, 52). Subs not used: Martin Riley, Nortei Nortey, Bradley Reid.
Wrexham star man: Tilt – made some marauding charges from centre back
Referee: Ryan Johnson rating: 6/10 – made the odd blunder
Booked: Brodie 43, Whittle 59, S Rooney 74, Harrad 74, Newton 88, Fry 89.
Attendance: 4,005
Shots on target: Wrexham 2, City 2
Shots off target: Wrexham 5, City 7
Corners: Wrexham 3, City 5
Fouls conceded: Wrexham 11, City 11
Offside: Wrexham 2, City 2
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