York City's Michael Gash eager to wipe out memory of first season

12:09pm Saturday 28th August 2010

By Steve Carroll

REJUVENATED York City striker Michael Gash says he has a point to prove after a stop-start season last term.

The former Ebbsfleet forward, the Minstermen’s biggest signing in recent seasons after arriving at Bootham Crescent for £55,000 a year ago, has been the club’s best player in the early stages of the Blue Square Bet Premier campaign according to manager Martin Foyle.

A sublime header at Bath City last weekend opened his account this term and Gash says he is determined to capitalise on his fine form following a difficult first campaign at York.

The 24-year-old netted nine times last year but, after breaking a foot, found his way back into the first team restricted as Foyle’s men surged to the play-off final at Wembley.

But, having “knuckled down” in pre-season, Gash has played a key part in City’s 4-3-3 formation and reckons his good start has been reward for his hard work.

He said: “At the start of the season, every player wants to do well and I’ve come back into the team. At the end of last season, I wasn’t really in the team – I was coming off the bench – so I have got a point to prove with not playing as much as I wanted to last season.

“I am knuckling down, I am working hard in training and I just want to perform on the pitch. With working hard, things will come.

“Like against Bath, my goal came and hopefully I will get another one and keep it coming.”

On the injury which halted his progress last year, Gash added: “You never want to be injured. We were on a good run, I was in good form and scoring goals and, unfortunately, in the Stevenage game I broke my foot.

“I was very disappointed but as a player that’s going to happen to you every now and then. You’ve got to believe that when you come back and prove to the manager that you can get back into the starting 11.

“We had a team that were doing fantastically well, were in great form, and when the team is doing well, and players are doing well, it’s hard to get in the team.

“The players who are on the bench now will tell you that when you come on you can give everything you have got for 15 minutes, but you can’t get that match fitness unless you play 90 or 80 minutes every week.

“It’s tough for the people that are on the bench. It was me last season and you have just got to get your head down, knuckle down and work hard.”

Gash said he was enjoying being the hold-up player in Foyle’s three-striker set-up and reckons in Michael Rankine and Richard Brodie he has the perfect strike partners.

He added: “I have got two good forwards with me in Ranks and Brodes. They are both quick. Ranks is strong and Brodes is deceivingly quick and defenders don’t read that in his game.

“I like the ball to be played up to me so I can try to bring players into play. The midfield of Alex Lawless, Neil Barrett or Chris Carruthers – if it comes off me to them, they know there are two good strikers they can play the ball into.

“They can slip in behind the defence and create chances for us. At the moment I am enjoying it.”

Striking a claim to top the lot

MICHAEL GASH has moved clear at the top of both The Press Player of the Month and Player of the Year standings after a fine week.

The former Ebbsfleet forward picked up a maximum three-point haul as our man of the match in the Minstermen’s 2-2 draw at Bath City after scoring a super header and grabbing an assist when laying on Peter Till’s volleyed equaliser.

Manager Martin Foyle reckons he has been City’s best player so far this season, and Gash followed up by picking up a further two points as The Press’s second-best performer in the 0-0 midweek draw with Barrow at Bootham Crescent.

Midfielder Alex Lawless is keeping up the pressure in his bid to be named the first The Press Player of the Month for the new Blue Square Bet Premier campaign.

He was our third-best player at Bath, picking up one point, before delivering a man-of-the-match display – and earning three points – against Barrow.

Chris Carruthers was awarded two points for his role at Bath, while James Meredith completed the points tally when being named the third-best player against Barrow.

Don’t forget to register your man-of-the-match vote for forthcoming fixtures and be in with a chance of presenting the August Player of the Month with a framed photograph on the pitch before the September 4 home game with Rushden.

The Press Player of the Year standings: Gash 8 points, Lawless 7, Meredith 4, Ingham 2, Carruthers 2, Parslow 1.

The Press Player of the Month standings: Gash 9, Lawless 7, Meredith 6, Ingham 2, Carruthers 2, Barrett 1, Parslow 1.

Bad boys: Lawless 2 yellow cards, Rankine 2, Gash, Brodie, Carruthers, Smith all one yellow card.