THERE might be no open-top bus parade to mark the end of this season, but York City’s supporters almost lifted the roof off Dagenham & Redbridge’s away end as their side clinched a final day 1-0 win.

Just less than a year on from watching their team complete a historic Wembley double, the euphoria felt after that achievement was matched by the outpouring of relief at preserving the Football League status that had been so gloriously fought for last season.

Following all the tension, torment and torture of the last two months, City fans can now finally look forward to the stress-free summer they deserve after the agonisingly, drawn-out fight for League Two survival was settled by talismanic skipper Chris Smith’s 67th-minute strike.

Saturday’s strangely subdued home supporters were also spared the drop due to results elsewhere, although it is hard to imagine fans of relegated pair Barnet and Aldershot were as seemingly apathetic to their sides’ unfortunate fates at the weekend.

Aside from the occasional drum beat, the Victoria Road regulars failed to rouse their team, allowing the travelling legions from North Yorkshire to transform the potentially defining, but ultimately inconsequential, fixture into a home match for their players.

The City faithful won that off-pitch battle hands down and also played a massive part in the less convincing victory on it.

With a lack of early significant goals from any of Saturday’s other crucial matches, the visiting hoards refused to surrender to hushed anxiety.

Instead, they provided vital vocal backing for their team during a first half in which the hosts, needing a win to ensure safety as opposed to the draw required by the Minstermen, were the better side.

When Nigel Worthington’s men finally got a grip on the game around the hour mark, it was no surprise, therefore, that they were kicking towards their 1,159-strong following.

If City can maintain that noisy support and the team is responsive, especially at Bootham Crescent, then the portents for an improved 2013/14 campaign are promising.

It was Dagenham, aided by a stiff breeze on their backs, that started with purpose though as left-back Oluwafemi Ilesanmi rode challenges from Jason Walker and Lanre Oyebanjo before over-running the ball to a grateful Michael Ingham.

At the other end, Adam Reed had the ball in the net on seven minutes but his effort was correctly ruled out by an early offside flag before Brian Woodall and Kevin Maher both missed the target for Wayne Burnett’s men.

Oyebanjo, meanwhile, made a smart covering challenge to snuff out a Josh Scott chance and Scott Doe headed wide from six yards following Medy Elito’s near-post corner.

City were struggling to retain possession in the middle of the park and also finding it difficult to contain left-sided pair Ilesanmi and Billy Bingham with the latter’s 20-yard goalbound drive blocked in typical fashion by David McGurk on the half-hour mark.

Woodall then struck the outside of Ingham’s left-hand post from an edge-of-the-box free-kick, clumsily conceded by Blair, and, despite neither ’keeper making a save in the opening 45 minutes, City were the most relieved of the two teams to be still on level terms at the break.

Aside from Reed’s disallowed attempt, a tame and hopeful off-target 30-yard effort from Walker was the sum of the Minstermen’s attacking threat.

Initially, the second half looked to be following a similar pattern.

Home defender Luke Wilkinson called Ingham into action for the first time with his head on 50 minutes and the City ’keeper also had to react smartly to push behind Woodall’s powerful 20-yard swerving drive.

From the resulting corner, the same player then lifted a glorious chance over the crossbar from six yards.

That miss seemed to spur City into action and, after Tom Platt made two unsuccessful swipes at the ball in front of the visitors’ goal on 64 minutes, Smith was more clinical when it fell at his feet moments later.

Collecting Ingham’s long free-kick into the Daggers’ penalty box, Smith swivelled and fired past home ’keeper Jordan Seabright from eight yards to the delight of a packed away end.

Following another brave McGurk block, Blair’s effort from an acute angle was then kept out at his near post by Seabright before Ingham crowned a fine personal season in the first of five minutes of stoppage time.

Diving to his right to keep out Luke Howell’s firm 20-yard drive, he then threw himself at Woodall’s follow-up effort.

Following the final whistle, news then filtered through that the Daggers had been saved by Barnet’s 2-0 defeat at Northampton.

For City fans, meanwhile, never can a sedate summer of cricket have been welcomed with such relish.


Match facts

Dagenham & Redbridge 0, York City 1 (Smith 67)

Michael Ingham 9
STAR MAN – completed a very consistent campaign by making another string of fine saves.

Lanre Oyebanjo 7
Given a few early problems down his flank, but recovered well to play his part in the clean sheet.

Chris Smith 9
Proved his worth at both ends of the pitch once more and took the decisive chance well.

David McGurk 9
Put his body on the line yet again with two brave blocks and defended with a safety-first attitude throughout.

Jack O’Connell 8
Ended his loan spell in typically combative fashion and looks a real defensive prospect in two positions.

Dan Parslow 7
Struggled for dominance in the middle of the park early on with rest of his team-mates but fought hard throughout.

Adam Reed 7
Peripheral for most of the first period but more involved after the break and can be proud of his commitment to the cause.

Tom Platt 7
Never short of endeavour and kept going even when the ball would not seem to break for him at times.

Matty Blair 6
Industrious and eager, rarely threatened in an attacking sense and Ilesanmi was a strong adversary.

Jason Walker 6
Found the going tough against two uncompromising centre-backs, although competed gamely.

Ashley Chambers 6
A little isolated on the left flank, aside from a couple of darting runs.

Subs: Michael Coulson (for Blair, 78), Jamie Reed (for Walker, 87).

Not used: Arron Jameson, Jamal Fyfield, Paddy McLaughlin, Tom Allan, Jon Challinor.


Dagenham 
Jordan Seabright, Abu Ogogo, Luke Wilkinson, Scott Doe, Oluwafemi Ilesanmi, Mendy Elito (Jake Reed, 75), Kevin Maher, Luke Howell, Billy Bingham, Josh Scott, Brian Woodall. Subs not used: Chris Lewington, Ben Strevens, Matt Saunders, Gavin Hoyte, Jonathan Fortune, Mo Sharif.

Star man: Ilesnami – carried the game to City from left-back in the early stages.

Referee: Simon Hooper.

Rating: 8/10 – managed the occasion very well and difficult to recall many errors.

Booked: Maher 90.

Sent off: None.

Attendance: 3,781 (1,159 from City).

Shots on target: Dagenham 5, City 2.

Shots off target: Dagenham 7, City 1.

Corners: Dagenham 8, City 3.

Fouls conceded: Dagenham 9, City 14.

Offsides: Dagenham 2, City 1.