Crawley Town 6, York City 1 (From York Press)

Crawley Town 6, York City 1

8:25am Monday 7th April 2008 in Match reports By Dave Flett, Sports reporter

A COMMANDING, confident goalkeeper and a big, ugly centre-back will surely top York City's wanted list this summer.

The need for both was again painfully exposed after three more embarrassingly easy goals were conceded from set-plays during a 6-1 drubbing at a Crawley Town team that had lost their previous four matches.

Colin Walker's heavily-humiliated Minstermen must now address their dead-ball deficiencies over the close season if they are to avoid carrying more baggage into the next campaign than is currently housed at Heathrow's fifth terminal.

In his first two appearances for the club, teenage 'keeper Josh Mimms has struggled to provide the penalty box presence that has also been missing in senior stopper Tom Evans' game this season.

To compound such frailty, City's outfield players have lacked the muscle and aerial strength to stem the regular flow of goals shipped from corners and free-kicks.

The responsibility for such a weakness is clearly collective.

Former striker Andy Bishop, for example, used to be as valuable at both ends of the pitch in set-play situations, winning headers in his own box in a manner that rookie Richard Brodie has yet to master.

Criticism should not, therefore, be taken solely as a slight on City centre-backs David McGurk and Danny Parslow, who have been two of the club's more consistent performers this season.

But, while it was feared compensating for the loss of leading marksman Clayton Donaldson might prove City's biggest problem this season, a record-breaking five players in double figures for goals has somewhat alleviated that concern.

Instead, the failure to find an adequate replacement for the likes of James Dudgeon, Jason Goodliffe and Janos Kovacs has carried greater significance and a player of their ilk could be comfortably accommodated in Walker's preferred back-three formation.

As well as looking fragile at set-pieces, though, City also appeared sluggish, indecisive and unsettled when faced with the enthusiastic running of two-goal Crawley strikers Jon-Paul Pittman and Pierre Joseph-Dubois on Saturday, not to mention the probing of fellow marksman Ryan Hall from the left wing.

The home side forged ahead in familiar fashion on 18 minutes, however, when Hall sent in a left-wing cross following Dannie Bulman's short corner.

Mimms was then beaten in the air at his near post by Joseph-Dubois and Pittman found the vacated net eight yards from goal.

The Minstermen drew level nine minutes later when home 'keeper Ashley Bayes was lured to the corner of his 18-yard area by Darren Craddock's long pass.

Martyn Woolford got there first, though, prodding the ball past a red-faced Bayes and finding an equally inviting net to join Onome Sodje as the club's top marksman on 15 goals. Parity, however, was shortlived and, within three minutes, Crawley led 3-1.

First, McGurk tripped Hall on the edge of the box and he drilled a low free-kick past the City wall and into Mimms' unguarded bottom right-hand corner.

Seconds later, Pittman's hopeful lofted pass saw Joseph-Dubois harass last man Parslow into a mistake and he then beat a hesitant Mimms at his near post from 12 yards.

The home side could have added a fourth before half-time but Hall's 25-yard strike bounced off the top of Mimms' bar.

At the other end, Stuart Elliott stabbed a rare City effort over from the edge of the box.

Walker reverted to 4-4-2 for the restart with Sodje replacing Lloyd and he should have reduced the deficit on 58 minutes.

Another Craddock long ball saw the 19-year-old striker beat the offside trap down the right channel but he dallied and allowed Bayes to smother his eventual 15-yard shot.

The Minstermen failed to muster another opportunity while Crawley set about making their victory more comprehensive.

On 63 minutes, Pittman turned inside Parslow before his firm shot bounced back to safety off Mimms' midriff.

But the former Doncaster Rovers reserve was not to be denied in the 80th minute when he collected a searching pass from Hall, lobbed the ball over Ben Purkiss' head and drove inside Mimms' near post from 12 yards.

Six minutes later, Joseph-Dubois scored his second of the game when he sidefooted past Mimms from eight yards after Hall's long-range strike had rebounded to him off the right-hand post.

In the second minute of stoppage time, Bayes' long punt then skimmed off the head of Parslow for a needlessly-conceded corner.

Hall's flag kick subsequently sailed over Mimms to the far post where unmarked substitute Jamie Cook headed in off the underside of the bar with his first, last and only touch of the game.

Match facts

Crawley Town 6 (Pittman 18, 81; Hall 29; Joseph-Dubois 30, 86; Cook 90), York City 1 (Woolford 27)

York City: Josh Mimms 3, Darren Craddock 6, David McGurk 3, Danny Parslow 3, Ben Purkiss 3, Stuart Elliott 5, Simon Rusk 4, Nicky Wroe 4, Anthony Lloyd 4, Martyn Woolford 6, Richard Brodie 4.

Substitutions: Onome Sodje (for Lloyd, 46) 4, Chris Hall (for Rusk, 66) 4, Leo Fortune-West (for Brodie, 69) 4.

Subs not used: Evans, Robinson.

Key: 10 - Faultless; 9 - Outstanding; 8 - Excellent; 7 - Good; 6 - Average; 5 - Below par; 4 - Poor; 3 - Dud; 2 - Hopeless; 1 - Retire

City's star man: Woolford - took his goal well and was City's only forward threat.

Crawley: Ashley Bayes, Tyrone Thompson, Bradley Thomas, Kieran Murphy, James Krause, Lee Blackburn (Nick Carter, 90), Dannie Bulman, Thomas Pinault, Ryan Hall, Pierre Joseph-Dubois (Mustapha Carayol, 87), Jon-Paul Pittman (Jamie Cook, 90).

Subs not used: Jamie Stevens, Paul Raynor.

Shots on target: Crawley 11 York 2

Shots off target: Crawley 1 York 4

Corners: Crawley 5 York 2

Fouls conceded: Crawley 16 York 18

Offsides: Crawley 4 York 4

Yellow cards: McGurk 54, Bayes 58, Rusk 62.

Referee: Andrew Halliday (London).

Rating: dubious at times and a little whistle-happy.

Attendance: 862 (161 from York).

Shot of the match: Either of Hall's long-range efforts that rattled the woodwork or his free-kick.

Goal of the match: The cool manner in which Pittman collected Hall's pass before leaving Purkiss for dead and confidently beating Mimms.

City player watch: Ben Purkiss

Goal attempts on target: 0

Goal attempts off target: 0

Blocked goal attempts: 0

Passes to own player: 22

Passes to opposition: 14

Crosses to own player: 0

Crosses to opposition: 2

Pass success rate: 57.9 per cent

Dribbles ball retained: 2

Dribbles ball lost: 2

Dribble success rate: 50 per cent

Headers: 12

Tackles: 3

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 5

Free-kicks won: 0

Free-kicks conceded: 1

Offsides: 0

Bookings: 0

Final summary: After shining in recent weeks, Purkiss endured a sluggish display both in his preferred right-wing back position in the first half and at left-back after switching flanks after the break.

His distribution was uncharacteristically poor and he only managed two crosses in 90 minutes.

He was culpable for Crawley's third goal and made just three tackles all afternoon.