York City picked up their first point of the new season following a 0-0 draw at Grimsby Town last night.

A workmanlike display by the Minstermen represented a marked improvement on Saturday’s opening day home defeat to Kidderminster.

City ’keeper Michael Ingham needed to make two fine second-half saves to keep his side in the match but Richard Brodie missed a great chance before the break to open the scoring and Michael Gash forced a late stop from Kenny Arthur with the visitors’ only on-target attempt of the evening.

Martin Foyle recalled Neil Barrett and Michael Rankine to his starting line up with Jonathan Smith dropped to the bench, leaving City without one summer signing in their first XI.

Fellow midfielder Levi Mackin was also absent after suffering a knee injury at the weekend.

Foyle switched to a 4-3-3 formation too, with Rankine joining Gash and Brodie in a flexible three-pronged strikeforce.

With both sets of supporters in good voice, it was the home side that made the brightest start to the match as former Scarborough striker Michael Coulson fired over from 20 yards on four minutes.

Ingham then survived a scare when, as against Kidderminster on Saturday, he misjudged an inswinging corner from the left but Rob Eagle’s delivery was scrambled clear.

Michael Leary also went close for the Mariners in the ninth minute, driving across the face of goal and inches wide after being released through the right channel by Eagle.

The Minstermen’s first chance saw a late-arriving Barrett’s eight-yard shot deflected wide after Gash had headed towards goal.

Home ’keeper Arthur could have been embarrassed on 18 minutes but, after cannoning a goal kick against Brodie, he recovered in time to prevent the ball spinning over his line. Moments later, Gash met a Carruthers corner but his floating header was cleared at the far post by Eagle.

At the other end, a succession of dangerous crosses flashed across City’s six-yard box before Ingham made his first save from Leary’s sidefooted 18-yard effort.

But Brodie missed a glorious chance to break the deadlock on the half-hour mark.

Alex Lawless sent the England ‘C’ international charging clear on goal but his 15-yard finish lacked conviction and trickled wide of Arthur’s left-hand upright.

The City striker’s night took another bad turn on 42 minutes when he was ridiculously shown a yellow card for executing an excellent tackle on former Minsterman Peter Bore with referee James Adcock being misled by his frantically flagging assistant.

Loud penalty appeals from the visiting end went unheeded on the stroke of half-time after Djoumin Sangare had met a Carruthers corner at the near post.

The second period, meanwhile, saw Alan Connell try his luck with an overhead kick that lacked the power to beat Ingham following more good work by Eagle.

Rankine then wasted a promising opening for City after bursting down the right, aiming his low cross straight at Steven Watt with Brodie lurking six yards from goal.

Just past the hour, Ingham needed to be alert to tip over a Coulson effort after the Grimsby winger had darted into the penalty box.

Coulson drove narrowly wide from the edge of the box shortly afterwards, while Connell’s shot on the turn bounced harmlessly wide on 68 minutes.

A thumping 30-yard strike by Bore then flashed wide of Ingham’s near post and Coulson was denied a goal again by a smart low stop from the City ’keeper after he had ridden Sangare’s challenge. City then forced a first save of the night from Arthur on 81 minutes when Brodie and Gash exchanged quick passes before the latter’s rising 15-yard drive was tipped over by the Mariners stopper.

Sangare shinned over after charging in at the far post to meet Barrett’s subsequent corner and, as City finished the match strongly, substitute George Purcell darted around Arthur but his cross was cut out by Watt.

But City suffered a nervous end to the match when David McGurk tangled with Connell in the box at the death only for the referee to remain unmoved despite a screaming home crowd.


Match facts

York City: Michael Ingham 8, Daniel Parslow 7, David McGurk 7, Djoumin Sangare 7, James Meredith 7, Alex Lawless 7, Neil Barrett 7, Chris Carruthers 7, Michael Gash 8, Michael Rankine 7, Richard Brodie 7.

Substitutions: George Purcell (for Rankine 66, 7), Jonathan Smith (for Barrett 85).

Subs not used: Duane Courtney, Peter Till, David McDermott.

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: Gash – worked hard and came closest to winning the game.

Grimsby: Kenny Arthur, Peter Bore, Darran Kempson, Steven Watt, Lee Ridley, Michael Coulson, Mark Hudson, Michael Leary, Rob Eagle, Alan Connell, Lee Peacock.

Subs (not used): Scott Garner, Micky Cummins, Dwayne Samuels, Bradley Wood, Nathan Dixon.

Yellow cards: Brodie 42, Watt 45, Lawless 85, Coulson 90.

Red cards: None.

Shots on target: Grimsby 5, York 1.

Shots off target: Grimsby 7, York 4.

Corners: Grimsby 7, York 7.

Fouls conceded: Grimsby 12, York 12.

Offsides: Grimsby 0, York 3.

Referee: James Adcock (Nottinghamshire).

Attendance: 5,037 (628 York fans).