York City held at home by ten-man Tranmere

The ill-disciplined visitors lost Jeff Hughes to a 50th-minute red card but City failed to break down the National League’s meanest defence and could not muster a shot on target all night.

High-fliers Tranmere had earlier started brightly, but Andy Cook volleyed on to the roof of the David Longhurst Stand from Steve Jennings’ second-minute corner and then headed over after full-back Lee Vaughan was given space to cross in from the right.

Lois Maynard should have then done better when played clear through by James Norwood, firing wide with only Kyle Letheren to beat from 15 yards.

At the other end, Daniel Nti blasted over from 20 yards on 13 minutes and Kaine Felix, who was tormenting Rovers left-back Liam Ridehalgh with his direct wing play, saw his first-time attempt from a similar position fly narrowly wide after Matty Dixon’s corner was cleared by the home defence.

But Gary Brabin’s men were on top for the rest of the half.

Cook headed off target again after Hughes had rode a Simon Heslop challenge down the left wing and Darren Stephenson fired too high from an unfavourable angle.

Striker Stephenson’s header then found Letheren’s hands after Cook had won an aerial ball and an overlapping Hughes forced a fine parry from Letheren, having burst into the penalty box and collected Norwood’s ball through the left channel.

Stephenson’s deflected 25-yard shot also bounced wide with City happy to get to the interval still on terms. The Minstermen received a lift early in the second half, though, when Hughes tangled with Richard Brodie on the floor and was sent for an early shower after kicking out at the City striker.

A melee of pushing and shoving subsequently broke out as angry away players tried to confront Brodie, but referee Andrew Miller declined to mete out any further punishment.

Moments later, Matt Fry curled wide from 30 yards before City had on-loan Sheffield United striker Jake Wright stretchered off on the hour mark with a nasty leg injury.

Sub Justin Johnson then teed up a chance for Felix that he directed off target.

Felix also shot wide from 20 yards but the ten men still pressed up the field with Stephenson having a shot deflected off target by Rooney’s block and Norwood clipping the top of Letheren’s crossbar with a near-post flick from Jennings’ consequent corner.

Attacker Norwood went on to head wide from another Jennings’ flag kick whilst, at the other end, Dixon lifted over a 15-yard opportunity and Scott Fenwick failed to find the target with a difficult half-chance.

Stephenson, meanwhile, fired over from the edge of City’s box and Johnson smacked the game’s last opportunity against the Longhurst roof from 30 yards in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

City

Kyle Letheren: 7

Shaun Rooney: 6

Jack Higgins: 8

Matt Fry: 7

Alex Whittle: 7

Kaine Felix: 7

Matt Dixon: 6

Simon Heslop: 7

Daniel Nti: 6

Richard Brodie: 6

Jake Wright: 6

Substitutes: Justin Johnson 6 (for Wright, 60), Scott Fenwick (for Nti, 75).

Subs not used: Luke Simpson, Ben Clappison, Josh Robinson.

Star man: Higgins – tower of strength at back

Tranmere

Scott Davies, Lee Vaughan, Michael Ihiekwe, Stephen McNulty, , Liam Ridehalgh, Steven Jennings, Lois Maynard, Jeff Hughes, James Norwood, Andy Cook, Darren Stephenson. Subs not used: Adam Mekki, Jay Harris, Iain Turner, Jake Kirby, Ethan Jones.

Referee: Andrew Miller rating: 7/10

Booked: Ridehalgh 35, Cook 36, Rooney 36, Norwood 61, Vaughan 81, Johnson 90+3.

Sent off: Hughes 50

Attendance: 2,379 (339 from Tranmere)

Shots on target: City 0, Tranmere 4

Shots off target: City 8, Tranmere 10

Corners: City 5, Tranmere 12

Fouls conceded: City 10, Tranmere 10

Offside: City 0, Tranmere 1