FORMER York City striker Reece Thompson got the only goal of the game to earn relegation rivals North Ferriby maximum points against his old club.

Thompson struck on 28 minutes before earning himself a yellow card for over-zealous celebrations in front of the David Longhurst Stand.

His goal proved the low point of a disappointing first half from the hosts that saw Ferriby display the greater energy and determination, with the work-rate of Steve Housham’s men exemplary throughout.

The Minstermen were marginally better after the break as Alex Whittle and Callum Rzonca were introduced to provide more drive down the flanks, but Gary Mills’ men could not find the equaliser that would have prevented them from going back to the bottom of the National League following their first fixture in 2017.

During the opening exchanges, Jon Parkin tried his luck with a 30-yard half-volley that bounced into the arms of Ferriby keeper Rory Watson on seven minutes, while Danny Emerton curled just wide from the edge of the box for the visitors after Danny Holmes had lost possession to leave his team vulnerable to the counter attack.

Moments later, Simon Heslop’s cross from the right saw Parkin’s downward header gathered by Watson, who was then untroubled by the City striker’s speculative shot on the turn from distance.

Simon Lappin went on to curl a free kick against the outside of Watson’s left-hand upright after Adrian Moke had been hacked down by a cautioned Connor Oliver.

But it was the Humbersiders who forged ahead on 28 minutes when Emerton’s through ball from the left dissected City’s defence far too easily and Thompson found himself clear on goal.

He then nudged the ball to the right of onrushing home keeper Kyle Leteheren and, with his shooting angle diminishing, squeezed a shot into the open goal.

Ryan Fallowfield also drove off target from long range, while a 15-yard effort on the turn by Parkin drifted wide at the other end before Rhys Murphy and Sean Newton strikes from outside the area failed to test Watson too.

The introduction of half-time substitute Whittle signalled a little more purpose to the hosts’ play and his positive burst down the left led to a 12-yard chance that Murphy steered wastefully wide.

Letheren, meanwhile, had to demonstrate sharp reflexes to keep out Mark Gray’s close-range header following Oliver’s free kick.

Another Whittle pass saw fellow replacement Rzonca try his luck with a 15-yard attempt that was deflected against the roof of the David Longhurst Stand.

Murphy headed in on 65 minutes, but his effort was disallowed with the ball adjudged to have crept out of play before Rzonca’s cross from the right.

Shortly afterwards, Parkin volleyed straight at Watson from ten yards after Heslop’s header into the box.

At the other end, Levi Sutton charged through the right channel on the counter attack but after cutting back on to his left foot, drilled over with only Letheren to beat.

Oliver also fired over from the edge of the box, while Parkin guided his header wide from a left-wing Lappin cross for the Minstermen.

Parkin went on to see a firm drive deflected inches wide by yet another Ferriby block after Rzonca had pulled the ball back from the right byline.

On 89 minutes, the City target man then showed nimble footwork in the penalty box to fashion a clever shot with the outside of his right boot that Watson proved equal to, as Ferriby held out for victory.

City

Kyle Letheren: 7

Shaun Rooney: 6

Yan Klukowski: 6

Aarran Racine: 6

Simon Heslop: 5

Simon Lappin: 6

Danny Holmes: 5

Adriano Moke: 6

Sean Newton: 5

Jon Parkin: 6

Rhys Murphy: 5

Substitutes: Alex Whittle 6 – positive (for Moke, 46), Callum Rzonca 6 – eager (for Holmes, 56) Subs not used: Matt Fry, Robbie McDaid, Luke Woodland.

STAR MAN: Letheren – more alert than his team-mates

North Ferriby Rory Watson, Ben Middleton, Connor Oliver, Mark Gray, Sam Topliss, Levi Sutton, Ryan Fallowfield (Curtis Bateson, 87), Danny Emerton, Taron Hare, Kyle Wootton, Reece Thompson (Ryan Kendall, 78).

Subs not used: Darryn Stamp, Jake Skelton, Alfons Fosu-Mensah.

North Ferriby star man: Oliver – commanding at the back

Referee: Martin Coy rating: 6/10

Booked: Middleton 16, Oliver 21, Thompson 29, Murphy 36, Watson 43, Topliss 77, Heslop 84

Attendance: 3,182 (214 from North Ferriby)

Shots on target: City 6, North Ferriby 2

Shots off target: City 6, North Ferriby 4

Corners: City 6, North Ferriby 0

Fouls conceded: City 20, North Ferriby 17

Offside: City 3, North Ferriby 2