RICHARD Brodie claimed his first York City hat-trick to fire Martin Foyle’s men to a 3-2 victory over Chester City at Bootham Crescent last night.

The former Newcastle Benfield forward took his season’s tally to 17 with the treble, which also saw him notch up a half-century of goals for the Minstermen.

Substitute Anthony Barry replied in spectacular fashion for Chester but his 30-yard, second-half strike and Sean Kelly’s stoppage time header only proved a consolation for Jim Harvey’s men.

City enjoyed the best possible start when Brodie ensured that his name would be on the scoresheet for a fourth successive game after just 32 seconds.

The England ‘C’ international gathered a deflected clearance from skipper Daniel Parslow before heading for the visitors’ penalty box.

With Chester’s defence back- pedalling anxiously, Brodie was then handed a clear path to goal by Tim Ryan’s slip. He capitalised fully with a composed, sidefooted finish into John Danby’s bottom left-hand corner.

The visitors responded with a 25-yard strike from Mark Beesley that cleared Michael Ingham’s crossbar but, within seconds, Michael Rankine had headed narrowly wide from Ben Purkiss’ cross at the other end.

A buoyant Brodie drove across the face of goal from 20 yards on nine minutes and Alex Lawless also went close from a similar distance.

City survived a couple of scares midway through the first half when David McGurk was called on to make a crucial, last-ditch challenge on Nick Chadwick after Lawless had lost possession on the edge of his own box.

Rhys Meynell then had strong shouts for a penalty rejected after he appeared to be clipped by Lawless in the box.

The Minstermen were soon back in the ascendancy, though, Adam Smith forcing Danby into two saves in quick succession before Brodie was given an opportunity to double the lead in dubious circumstances.

City’s leading marksman fell to his knees after a seemingly fair tackle from Neil Ashton only for referee Darren Bond to point to the spot.

Brodie again gleefully accepted the invite to find the net, sidefooting into Danby’s bottom right-hand corner as the Chester ’keeper dived the opposite way.

The goal was Brodie’s 50th for City and he went close to number 51 on 39 minutes, firing inches wide from 18 yards.

Despite City’s dominance, Chester would have reduced the deficit on the stroke of half-time but for a fine goal-line clearance by James Meredith after Kelly’s header from a Clark Keltie corner.

Brodie claimed the match ball in impressive fashion just two minutes into the second half when Lawless sent him sprinting down the right flank.

The City striker then cut inside Kelly, leaving the Chester centre-back on his backside before curling sublimely into Danby’s bottom right-hand corner.

Chester, who had endeavoured to pass the ball throughout, played with more freedom after the third goal with Barry providing a portent of what was to come, seeing his 30-yard drive whistle narrowly wide.

On 59 minutes, Barry struck from the same distance and with the same power but this time fired inches inside Ingham’s left-hand post, extending City’s run without a Blue Square Premier clean sheet to nine matches.

Former Bristol Rovers and Yeovil striker Kevin Gall, signed by Foyle after leaving Darlington last month, was handed his debut as a 70th-minute substitute and pleased City supporters with his willing work-rate during the closing stages.

An iffy end to the match by City saw Gregg Blundell drag a great chance wide for the visitors before Kelly headed into a vacated net from Keltie’s free-kick after Ingham had charged 15 yards off his line in the fourth and final minute of injury time.

The Minstermen and Brodie will now be hoping that the three points and goals are not expunged from the record books when the Conference meet to discuss Chester’s off-field problems next week.


Match facts

York City 3 (Brodie 1, 31 (pen), 47), Chester City 2 (Barry 59; Kelly 90)

York City: Michael Ingham 5, Ben Purkiss 7, David McGurk 8, Daniel Parslow 7, James Meredith 8, Adam Smith 7, Alex Lawless 8, Neil Barrett 7, Chris Carruthers 7, Michael Rankine 7, Richard Brodie 9.

Substitutions: Kevin Gall (for Smith, 70), Levi Mackin (for Rankine, 79), Andy Ferrell (for Brodie, 90).

Not used: Richard Pacquette, Luke Graham.

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: Brodie – excellent hat-trick from a player bang in form and full of confidence.

Chester City: John Danby, Kevin Roberts, Tim Ryan, Sean Kelly, Neil Ashton, Michael Coulson, Clark Keltie, James Owen (Anthony Barry, 28), Rhys Meynell (Ben Wilkinson, 70), Mark Beesley, Nick Chadwick (Gregg Blundell, 65).

Subs (not used): Andrew Murphy, Glenn Rule.

Booked: None.

Sent off: None.

Shots on target: York 6, Chester 3.

Shots off target: York 8, Chester 6.

Corners: York 8, Chester 10.

Fouls conceded: York 11, Chester 7.

Offsides: York 3, Chester 1.

Referee: Darren Bond (Wigan).

Attendance: 2,164 (110 away fans).