IT might be March now, but Michael Rankine and Michael Gash have yet to find the net when paired together in York City’s attack this season.

Saturday’s surprise 1-0 home defeat to relegation-threatened Eastbourne represented the ninth time City’s summer signings have started a game as striking partners.

But, other than a penalty Rankine converted after Gash had already been substituted back in August against Forest Green, both players have been otherwise absent from the scoresheet in those matches.

In fact, four of the last five have also seen the side fail to hit the target and another shot-shy display at the weekend must leave manager Martin Foyle wondering whether he can include Rankine and Gash in the same starting line-up again.

At different stages of the season, both players have proven useful foils for 27-goal leading marksman Richard Brodie.

Fielding two forwards more comfortable and effective with their backs to goal, however, has tended to blunt City’s cutting edge in Brodie’s absence.

Gash has now netted only once in 18 matches, while Rankine’s current strike-rate is only marginally better, managing one goal in his last 15 outings.

Against Eastbourne, it was only when Richard Pacquette was introduced for Gash just past the hour that the home side appeared to carry a genuine goal threat against opponents who had managed only one clean sheet in 25 league matches.

Pacquette failed to convert four second-half chances but, at least, demonstrated an ability to sniff out opportunities in the visitors’ penalty box.

At the other end, meanwhile, lone striker Liam Enver-Marum sent City spiralling to their first Bootham Crescent defeat of the season, pirouetting past Neil Barrett and Luke Graham on the edge of the penalty box before driving a low, 70th-minute shot inside Michael Ingham’s left-hand post.

Earlier, chances were few and far between during a drab first half.

Alex Lawless tried his luck twice from long distance to no avail before limping out of the action on the half-hour mark, having pulled up with a hamstring injury as he was poised to release Rankine for a clear run on goal.

Eastbourne centre-back Gary Elphick, meanwhile, went close when he headed wide from a Matt Crabb cross and Rankine should have done better for City when he dragged a 39th-minute effort across the face of goal following Barrett’s through ball.

David McGurk then prodded wide at the far post, stretching to reach a wayward Barrett shot after Danny Knowles’ poor punch from a Chris Carruthers corner.

Shortly after the restart, Barrett volleyed over from an Adam Smith cross before Pacquette, called on for Gash just past the hour, leaned back and cleared the crossbar from 12 yards after good work by James Meredith and Rankine.

Soon afterwards, Enver-Marum capitalised on hesitancy between Barrett and Graham to grab his 14th goal of the season.

And the former Woking striker almost doubled his afternoon’s haul six minutes later, turning Graham inside out before sending a sidefooted effort rolling across the goal-line and wide.

City began to launch the ball into the Sports’ penalty box in search of an equaliser and, on 79 minutes, Pacquette clipped the top of the bar after Rankine’s deep cross was met at the far post by Smith.

Pacquette also drove wide with his left foot from Ingham’s long punt, which had been helped on by Rankine.

The former Havant and Waterlooville striker then saw another chance brilliantly blocked by Elphick on 89 minutes.

Moments later, McGurk’s header bounced off the top of Knowles’ bar following a Barrett corner and the Minstermen were left to reflect on a first defeat in front of their home fans since a 2-1 reverse against Northwich back in April.

Perhaps, more significantly, the result also means City have only won one of the four league games Brodie has not featured in this season.


Match facts

York City 0, Eastbourne 1 (Enver-Marum 70)

York City: Michael Ingham 6, Daniel Parslow 6, Luke Graham 5, David McGurk 7, James Meredith 7, Alex Lawless 6, Levi Mackin 7, Neil Barrett 5, Chris Carruthers 5, Michael Gash 5, Michael Rankine 5.

Substitutions: Adam Smith 7 (for Lawless, 30), Richard Pacquette 7 (for Gash 62), Kevin Gall (for Parslow, 74). Not used: Purkiss, Sangare.

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 – never flustered at the back and went close to scoring twice.


Eastbourne: Danny Knowles, Ben Austin, Marc Pullan, Gary Elphick, Darren Baker, Jamie Taylor (Simon Weatherstone, 87), Paul Armstrong, Simon Johnson, Matt Crabb, Joe Benjamin (Neil Jenkins, 71), Liam Enver-Marum (Andy Atkin, 88). Subs not used: Nathan Crabb, Dean Lightwood.


Booked: Enver-Marum 50, Mackin 90.

Shots on target: York 4, Boro 6.

Shots off target: York 8, Boro 6.

Corners: York 5, Boro 2.

Fouls conceded: York 10, Boro 17.

Offsides: York 3, Boro 3.

Referee: Lee Metcalfe (Preston). Rating: mainly sensible.

Attendance: 2,611 (30 away fans).

Mistake of the match: The failure of Barrett or Graham to seize the initiative and clear the danger leading up to Enver-Marum’s goal.

Miss of the match: Pacquette’s 88th-minute effort that he dragged across the face of goal following Ingham’s long punt.


Head to head: Luke Graham v Liam Enver-Marum

For one of the few times since his switch from Mansfield, centre-back Graham looked a little unnerved when up against Eastbourne’s lone striker.

Enver-Marum managed to wriggle free of Graham for the only goal of the game.

He then skipped past the City defender again and was unlucky not to net for a second time to cap an eye-catching performance.