A 0-0 draw at Morecambe’s Globe Arena should do York City the world of good going forward for the rest of the season.

The Minstermen claimed a confidence-boosting first clean sheet in 11 matches to earn a well-deserved share of the spoils against a Shrimps side whose goalkeeper Barry Roche was named man of the match following an excellent end-to-end encounter. Roche denied the likes of Ryan Jarvis, Lewis Montrose, Lanre Oyebanjo and Wes Fletcher to keep his team in the game although City’s on-loan shot-stopper Nick Pope also needed to be in smart form at the other end of the pitch.

Visiting boss Nigel Worthington recalled eight-goal leading marksman Jarvis to the starting line-up in place of the suspended Ryan Bowman.

David McGurk also continued in defence with Dan Parslow ruled out by the knee ligament injury he suffered during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Southend.

City survived an early flurry of corners for Morecambe, although Mark Hughes did go close with a deflected five-yard header from Ryan Williams’ first flag kick of the game.

The visitors soon settled into their stride, though, with Josh Carson firing across the face of goal from a narrow angle and Jarvis forcing home ’keeper Barry Roche into an instinctive save when he met Luke O’Neill’s dangerously-delivered free-kick six yards from goal.

Another O’Neill centre saw Carson head wide before the Shrimps enjoyed a spell of pressure midway through the half.

Kevin Ellison called Pope into action for his first save of the evening on 22 minutes with the on-loan Charlton ’keeper diving to his right to save the ex-Rotherham forward’s header following a swift raid down the left by Robbie Threlfall.

Two minutes later, Pope performed heroics to keep City level, making up brilliant ground to keep Padraig Amond’s downward header out after Ellison’s left-wing cross to his far post.

An unfortunate ricochet off Carson then saw the ball sailing towards goal again but a perfectly-positioned Keith Lowe was on hand to head off the line.

It was Nigel Worthington’s men who finished the half strongest, however, with Montrose driving into the box on 37 minutes only to shoot straight at Roche.

Carson also charged down Hughes’ subsequent clearance but the ball flashed wide of goal.

Moments later, Oyebanjo met Montrose’s left-wing cross with his head and Fletcher hooked a shot over his shoulder but on to the top of the netting. City continued to make the running after the restart with three good chances in as many minutes just after the hour mark.

First, after Roche had failed to deal with an O’Neill cross, the Shrimps ’keeper recovered in time to keep out a weak Oyebanjo header.

Fletcher then saw a glancing header collected by Roche from Carson’s centre and Jarvis should have done better when he rose unopposed to meet another O’Neill right-wing delivery but did not unduly trouble the Morecambe number one from six yards. The hosts fought back though with Pope saving Jack Sampson’s low 15-yard drive after the Shrimps substitute had ridden a McGurk challenge.

Steward Drummond went on to somehow head off target after he had charged into the six-yard box to get on the end of Threlfall’s cross. There were also further chances for Drummond, centre-back Chris McCready and, finally, Ellison in stoppage time, but the Minstermen held out for a deserved point.

Match facts

York City

Nick Pope 8
Luke O’Neill 9
Keith Lowe 8
David McGurk 8
Ben Davies 8
Lanre Oyebanjo 8
Lewis Montrose 7
Elliott Whitehouse 7
Josh Carson 7
Ryan Jarvis 7
Wes Fletcher 7

Subs: Ashley Chambers (for Jarvis, 71). Not used: Craig Clay, Tom Platt, Sander Puri, Michael Coulson, Tom Chamberlain, Cameron Murray.

City star man: O’Neill – continues to deliver reliable series of crosses.

Morecambe: Barry Roche, Andy Parrish, Mark Hughes, Chris McCready, Robbie Threlfall, Ryan Williams (Jack Redshaw, 68), Alex Kenyon, Stewart Drummond, Marcus Marshall (Jack Sampson, 62), Padraig Amond (Joe Mwasile, 81), Kevin Ellison. Subs not used: Andreas Arestidou, Tony Diagne, Joe McGee, Chris Doyle.

Referee: Steve Martin (Staffordshire).
Rating: 5/10.

Booked: Ellison 52, Parrish 67, Whitehouse 88.

Sent off: None.

Attendance: Not announced.

Shots on target: Shrimps 3, City 5.

Shots off target: Shrimps 8, City 6.

Corners: Shrimps 3, City 7.

Fouls conceded: Shrimps 6, City 8.

Offsides: Shrimps 0, City 1.