York City’s ten-match unbeaten run might have come to an end, but manager Martin Foyle can draw some home comforts from his return to Salisbury.

Foyle, born and raised in the medieval Wiltshire city, is unlikely, for example, to ever see his side carve out as many chances in a game without any reward.

The Minstermen created 19 goalscoring opportunities compared to their hosts’ six on Saturday and deserved to win by a comfortable margin, rather than lose out to Matt Tubbs’ wrongly-awarded third-minute penalty.

Salisbury also struggled to contain Richard Brodie throughout – a factor which eventually led to home defender Ryan Tafazolli receiving his marching orders in the 85th minute after he grabbed a handful of the City top scorer’s shirt.

Indeed, Brodie has played worse this season and got on the scoresheet once, if not twice, but the former Newcastle Benfield striker somehow failed to add to his ten goals and, when he did net, was flagged offside.

The just-as-frustrated James Meredith and Adam Smith will also still be wondering this morning how they missed the target from inside Salisbury’s six-yard box.

Substitute Smith’s 90th-minute effort, in particular, seemed easier to score than fire wide as the visitors finished the game with a 2-2-6 formation.

David McGurk, making an assured return at centre-back, was thrown up field alongside centre-forwards Brodie, Michael Rankine and Richard Pacquette at the death, with Smith and fellow replacement Craig Nelthorpe raiding down the flanks.

But, despite six minutes of added-on time, the Minstermen could not conjure up a last-gasp equaliser as they had done previously against Cambridge and Stevenage this season.

Already without the injured Michael Gash and suspended Andy Ferrell, Foyle lost Chris Carruthers in the build-up to Saturday’s game and opted for a makeshift left flank of Meredith in front of Daniel Parslow.

Meredith, though, seemed reluctant to carry the ball forward and, only when Nelthorpe was introduced just past the hour mark, did City begin to penetrate down the sides.

Nevertheless, Foyle’s men still enjoyed a raft of first-half chances with Brodie and Rankine unsettling Salisbury through the middle.

The home side received a huge early lift, however, when referee Marvyn Amphlett pointed to the spot after the game’s first attack.

Tubbs, receiving the ball down the left channel, looked to cut back inside Sangare from the byline.

Perhaps, as any coach from schoolboy level upwards will testify, Sangare might have then been better advised to stay on his feet rather than go to ground, especially in the penalty box, but his well-timed lunge clearly won the ball.

Kidderminster official Amphlett, though, pointed to the spot in front of an incredulous away end and Tubbs fired firmly into Michael Ingham’s bottom right-hand corner as the City ’keeper dived in the opposite direction.

The Minstermen responded with Levi Mackin volleying over from the edge of the box and Brodie seeing home ’keeper James Bittner push his 15-yard attempt around his left-hand upright.

Brodie then muscled past Lee Brown to collect an Alex Lawless through ball but his deft, right-footed lob over Bittner dropped on the roof of the net rather than under the crossbar.

Another long-distance attempt by Mackin called Bittner into action on 25 minutes and, shortly afterwards, the over-employed ’keeper made a double save after firm drives from City’s flame-haired midfielder and Rankine.

Parslow picked out another good run by Brodie five minutes before the break, but the striker drilled into the sidenetting with only Bittner to beat.

Aussie Meredith was then caught on his heels after Ben Purkiss’ cross fell to him at the far post but, having stuck out his left leg, he prodded wide from three yards out.

An overwhelmed Salisbury might still have led 2-0 at the break when Christopher Flood escaped the attentions of Purkiss to run clear on goal, only to overrun the ball and allow Ingham to smother at his feet.

Flood got in behind the City right-back again early in the second half but made a complete hash of his finish, sidefooting wide from eight yards after Ingham had been left totally exposed.

At the other end, Salisbury’s Jamie Turley survived strong penalty appeals after tangling with Brodie, who was again looking to bear down on Bittner’s goal.

Lawless then shot wide from close range after Bittner had fumbled Nelthorpe’s cross to the far post.

On 70 minutes, Rankine spun past two Salisbury defenders on the left wing before forcing a near-post parry from the ever-busy Bittner and only a brave block by Brown prevented Brodie following up with a goal.

Shortly afterwards, Brodie raced clear of the home defence again after Rankine headed on a long ball from McGurk.

The City striker lifted the ball over Bittner with the flick of a boot once more, but his effort bounced off the top of the bar.

A minute later, Brodie tapped into an empty net after the Salisbury ’keeper could only parry a Nelthorpe drive only for the referee’s assistant to raise his flag. Nelthorpe and Rankine then went close with headers before Smith shot wastefully wide at the death.

The ball fell to the former Chesterfield winger after McGurk had headed on a long ball but somehow, from four yards out, he contrived to sidefoot across the face of goal.

With Salisbury having now avoided defeat in five meetings between the two clubs, the cash-strapped Whites are rapidly acquiring bogey team status for City.


Match facts

Salisbury 1 (Tubbs 3 pen)
York City 0

York City: Michael Ingham 7, Ben Purkiss 6, Djoumin Sangare 6, David McGurk 8, Daniel Parslow 6, Alex Lawless 7, Levi Mackin 6, Neil Barrett 6, James Meredith 6, Michael Rankine 7, Richard Brodie 7.

Substitutions:Craig Nelthorpe (for Meredith, 62) 7, Adam Smith (for Mackin, 69) 6, Richard Pacquette (for Sangare, 87).

Subs not used: Mimms, McWilliams.

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: McGurk – assured return and won his fair share of headers when sent forward.

Salisbury: James Bittner, Sean Clohessy, Jamie Turley (Patrick Cox, 68), Ryan Tafazolli, Lee Brown, Stuart Anderson, Darrell Clarke (Daniel Webb, 46), Joseph Oastler, Robert Sinclair, Matthew Tubbs (Luke Ruddick, 88), Christopher Flood.

Subs not used: Ryan O’Hara, Toby Osman.

Booked: Brown 78, Sinclair 89, McGurk 90.

Sent off: Tafazolli 85.

Referee: Marvyn Amphlett (Kidderminster).

Rating: Far from Marv-ellous.

Attendance: 1,266.

Mistake of the match: Amphlett’s penalty decision against Sangare.

Tackle of the match: The block by Brown that prevented Brodie scoring after Bittner parried Rankine’s drive.


Head to head

Lawless v Brown

Alex Lawless was City’s most creative player in the first half, but did most of his damage drifting in from the right flank.

Left-back Lee Brown was still on the back foot, though, and rarely looked to forage forward.

He later made a crucial block on Brodie, but allowed Smith to send in several crosses after Lawless had moved into the centre.