HAVING been placed on roast potato rations over Christmas, York City’s players served up a long-awaited victory for their success-starved supporters.

Boss Gary Mills still has a lot on his plate as he attempts to pull the club away from trouble, but a 1-0 victory at relegation rivals North Ferriby offered more hope for better fortunes in 2017.

Winning on the road meant the Minstermen finally ended their club record-equalling run of 35 matches without an away victory and, following on from the 0-0 home draw with Torquay, back-to-back clean sheets, which eluded Mills’ predecessor Jackie McNamara throughout his whole reign, have now been registered for the first time in 16 months.

The addition of on-loan Forest Green defender Aarran Racine has helped shore up the backline, but he also made his presence felt at the other end of the pitch after heading in the only goal of the game on 13 minutes.

As against Torquay, chances then went begging, as the visitors failed to capitalise on first-half dominance but, after the break, as the hosts began to apply pressure with the wind at their backs, the Minstermen held firm to secure maximum points in a manner that has so often proved beyond them in the recent past when costly late goals have been shipped.

During a one-sided opening 45 minutes, Jon Parkin’s 15-yard shot on the turn drifted just wide and an inswinging Simon Lappin free kick brushed the top of the netting before the visitors forged ahead.

Lappin’s corner from the left caused problems and, after Yan Klukowski had won an aerial ball, Racine’s downward header found the net from six yards.

Moments later, Parkin’s edge-of-the-box shot on the turn lacked the power to trouble Ferriby keeper Rory Watson and Rhys Murphy also drove over from 30 yards.

Murphy’s header, meanwhile, was cleared off the line by former City defender Taron Hare following another corner by Lappin, whose inswinging free kick from the right went on to evade everybody before bouncing off Watson’s far post.

On 38 minutes, Parkin could not direct his near-post header on target from a Lappin flag kick, while the hosts’ first attempt of the afternoon came on the stroke of half-time as ex-Minsterman Reece Thompson fired wide from a narrow angle.

After the interval, City were pegged back with Kyle Letheren reacting smartly to keep out Mark Gray’s header from a Levi Sutton corner just before the hour mark.

A stretching Ross Armstrong also sliced well wide from the edge of the box and 38-year-old sub Darryn Stamp – the ex-City forward – headed off target from a long Hare free kick into the box.

With the Minstermen living on their nerves a little, Thompson failed to force in Kyle Wootton’s left-wing cross from a couple of yards, while another Stamp header was safely gathered by Letheren and Sutton drove over from the edge of the box.

But City were not to be denied a first triumph on their travels since James Berrett, Thompson and Vadaine Oliver were on target in a 3-0 September 2015 success at Newport.

City

Kyle Letheren: 7 – quiet for long periods but reliable when called upon

Shaun Rooney: 7 – odd aberration but cleared his lines if needed

Yan Klukowski: 8 – swept up with distinction prior to early first-half injury

Aarran Racine: 8 – competed physically throughout and dominant in air

Simon Heslop: 7 – plugged away down his flank and defended well

Danny Holmes: 7 – battled for midfield territory and worked hard

Adriano Moke: 7 – given licence to go forward a little more

STAR MAN Simon Lappin: 8 – positionally disciplined and constant dead-ball threat

Sean Newton: 8 – never flustered and smooth switch from wing-back to defence

Jon Parkin: 7 – held ball up to ease some of second-half pressure

Rhys Murphy: 7 – could have been more ruthless, but buzzed around

Substitutes: Alex Whittle 7 – sensible (for Klukowski, 56)

Subs not used: Matt Fry, Daniel Nti, Luke Woodland, Callum Rzonca.

North Ferriby

Rory Watson, Ben Middleton, Jake Skelton, Mark Gray, Sam Topliss (Ryan Fallowfield, 46), Levi Sutton, Ross Armstrong (Ryan Kendall, 85), Danny Emerton (Darryn Stamp, 68), Taron Hare, Kyle Wootton, Reece Thompson.

Subs not used: Curtis Bateson, Connor Oliver.

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North Ferriby star man: Middleton – competitive

Referee: Scott Oldham rating: 6/10 – better as match wore on

Booked: Armstrong 44.

Attendance: 1,950

Shots on target: North Ferriby 2, City 4

Shots off target: North Ferriby 5, City 4

Corners: North Ferriby 2, City 5

Fouls conceded: North Ferriby 14, City 10

Offside: North Ferriby 2, City 5