York City strikers Richard Brodie and Michael Rankine ran riot as a play-off place was all but secured during a scintillating 5-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon.

Brodie took his tally for the season to 33 with a first-half hat-trick while Rankine bagged a brace.

The win means the City can now only be denied a top-five spot should Crawley Town complete a mathematical miracle along with a highly-unlikely sequence of results.

City boss Martin Foyle made four changes to the side that started Monday’s 2-1 home victory over Altrincham.

Levi Mackin, Alex Lawless and Chris Carruthers were all restored to the Minstermen’s midfield with Rankine recalled in attack.

Dropping to the bench, meanwhile, were Michael Gash, Courtney Pitt and Paul Harsley while Jamie Clarke failed to make Foyle’s squad of 16.

The injury-troubled visitors, in contrast, could only name four substitutes.

A minute’s applause marked the passing of Happy Wanderers’ hero Sid Storey before the match and the first half provided an equally fitting tribute.

Within 33 seconds, Rankine justified his selection by opening the scoring for the home side.

The 6ft 3in tall striker showed determination to shrug off the attentions of Dons’ captain Paul Lorraine and latch on to a Neil Barrett through ball.

He then found James Pullen’s bottom right-hand corner from a narrow angle ten yards from goal.

Wimbledon went close to an equaliser on 14 minutes when Nathan Elder headed narrowly wide from a Jay Conroy cross.

But the Minstermen doubled their lead on 17 minutes when Brodie was tripped by Ben Judge in the box after Rankine had rose majestically to release his striking partner from goalkeeper Michael Ingham’s long punt forward.

Brodie then fired the resulting penalty low and in off Pullen’s right-hand post.

The Wombles continued to create chances in an entertaining first 45 minutes with Luke Moore flashing an edge-of-the-box effort wide.

But City forged further ahead when Brodie ran on to a Barrett through ball, skipped around an advancing Pullen and rolled the ball into an empty net on 22 minutes.

Elder, proving a handful at the other end, drove across the face of goal seconds later and Ingham made a fine save low to his left to keep out a well-struck Moore free-kick.

A second spot-kick of the evening, though, saw City add a fourth goal on 35 minutes.

Carruthers’ excellent cross from the left saw Brodie’s header blocked but the England ‘C’ international reacted quickly to gather the loose ball before being felled by a lunging Lorraine challenge.

The former Newcastle Benfield forward then found Pullen’s bottom right-hand corner to claim his third hat-trick of the season.

Spirited Wimbledon continued to press forward and Ingham was required to make another excellent save when he clawed away a 35-yard Glenn Poole strike, destined for his top left-hand corner.

City continued to look for more goals after the break with James Meredith going close from 30 yards and Brodie shooting wide with his right foot when clear on goal.

The home side eventually added their fifth on 70 minutes when Lawless sent Carruthers sprinting down the left and, while his cross eluded Brodie, it found Rankine with his back to goal on the far post and he turned to fire a low shot in from six yards.


Match facts

York City 5 (Rankine 1, 70 Brodie pen 17, 22, 3), AFC Wimbledon 0

York City: Michael Ingham 9, Ben Purkiss 8, David McGurk 8, Luke Graham 9, James Meredith 8, Alex Lawless 9, Levi Mackin 8, Neil Barrett 9, Chris Carruthers 9, Michael Rankine 9.

Substitutions: Michael Gash for Brodie (75); Paul Harsley for Barratt (76); Adam Smith for Lawless (83).

Subs (not used): Daniel Parslow, Courtney Pitt.

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: Michael Rankine – played with the bit between his teeth on his return to the starting line-up.


AFC Wimbledon: James Pullen, Jay Conroy, Ben Judge, Paul Lorraine (Brett Johnson 46), Danny Blanchett, Glenn Poole, Kennedy Abjei, Steven Gregory (Derek Duncan 76), Ricky Wellard, Luke Moore, Nathan Elder (Sam Hatton 71).

Subs (not used): Seb Brown.


Yellow cards: Lorraine 9, Judge 16.

Shots on target: City 8, Dons 4.

Shots off target: City 10, Dons 10.

Corners: City 2, Dons 3.

Fouls conceded: City 9, Dons 7.

Offsides: City 3, Dons 2.

Referee: Michael Naylor (Sheffield).

Attendance: 2,667 (123 from Wimbledon).