York City kept a fifth consecutive clean sheet in the Blue Square Bet Premier to secure maximum points against Grimsby Town thanks to Leon Constantine’s first-half strike.

The Minstermen have now not conceded a league goal since their October home game with Wrexham and goalkeeper Michael Ingham only made one save all evening from Grimsby substitute Lee Peacock’s weak 90th-minute header.

A hugely-impressive first half saw Constantine open the scoring on 19 minutes and, although the Minstermen tired a little after the break, they collected another three points to continue their push up the table.

City manager Gary Mills made five changes from the side that started Saturday’s 2-0 FA Cup defeat at Bolton Wanderers.

On-loan midfielder Robbie Weir has returned to Sunderland and is understood to be pursuing a move to a Football League club.

James Meredith, meanwhile, dropped to the bench while Ashley Chambers, Neil Barrett and Michael Rankine were left out due to knocks.

As a consequence, former Bangor City striker Jamie Reed was handed his full debut and Constantine, Peter Till, Andre Boucaud and Danny Racchi all earned recalls.

Grimsby included former City winger Peter Bore, making his 100th start for the Humbersiders, in their team.

The home changes made no discernible difference to the quality of City’s play in the first half while the Mariners’ defence were often all at sea in their attempts to contain Mills’ men.

After just four minutes, Racchi won a header on the halfway line that sent Reed bursting through on goal down the left channel.

But the 23-year-old new boy passed up an opportunity to enjoy instant hero status when his deft right-footed shot beat Kenny Arthur but missed the target, bouncing wide of the Town ’keeper’s near post.

At the other end, Grimsby’s 19-goal forward Alan Connell failed twice to test Ingham from the edge of the box and Rob Eagle also missed the target from 25 yards.

Constantine, however, could not have been more clinical when he sprung Grimsby’s offside trap after Daniel Parslow’s lofted pass over the visitors’ defence.

Spotting Arthur advancing off his line, the former Leeds United striker lobbed the ball into his vacated net from 15 yards to give City the lead.

Moments later, Reed forced a near-post Arthur save from an unfavourable angle and the busy Mariners stopper was then booked for colliding with Jonathan Smith just outside his penalty box.

Smith had been looking to collect Constantine’s header when Arthur intervened but was heading away from goal and towards the touchline, so referee Andy Madley’s yellow card was the correct punishment.

City continued to dominate proceedings with Racchi forcing a 35-yard save and, to highlight the side’s confidence levels, former Tottenham trainee Boucaud performed a couple of crowd-pleasing party tricks in the midfield anchorman role.

Reed headed wide from a Racchi free-kick as City headed into the interval in the ascendancy but only a goal up.

A more even start to the second half saw few chances at either end but Mariners midfielder Dean Sinclair was fortunate to escape any form of censure on top of conceding a free-kick when he clattered into Racchi.

The City midfielder, however, was unshaken and saw a speculative, 30-yard shot bounce wide on 59 minutes.

At the other end, a risky sliding David McGurk challenge on Coulson saw the packed away end scream for a penalty but Ossett official Madley waved away the visitors’ protests.

Reed, meanwhile, tested Arthur from 20 yards having swapped flanks with Till and moved on to the right.

Grimsby, enjoying a better second period, went close on 75 minutes when substitute Peacock glanced wide of the near post following Eagle’s corner.

Connell then missed an easier chance to equalise, firing over from seven yards after being teed up for a free shot on City’s goal by Eagle’s low left-wing cross.

Constantine might also have made the three minutes of stoppage time less anxious for the Minstermen, failing to beat Arthur with the outside of his boot and injuring himself in the process after Racchi and Meredith had combined to create the opportunity.


Match facts

York City 1 (Constantine 19), Grimsby 0

York City: Michael Ingham 7, Daniel Parslow 7, David McGurk 8, Chris Smith 8, Chris Carruthers 8, Andre Boucaud 8, Jonathan Smith 7, Danny Racchi 7, Peter Till 7, Leon Constantine 7, Jamie Reed 7.

Substitutions: Levi Mackin for J Smith 77, James Meredith for Reed 81, David McDermott for Constantine 90.

Subs (not used): Jamal Fyfield, Greg Young.

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: Andre Boucaud – terrific first half although tired a little after the break.

Grimsby: Kenny Arthur, Bradley Wood (Lee Peacock 59), Darran Kempson, Rob Atkinson, Lee Ridley, Peter Bore, Dean Sinclair (Mark Hudson 79), Michael Cummins, Rob Eagle, Alan Connell, Michael Coulson.

Subs (not used): Scott Garner, Dwayne Samuels, Steve Croudson.

Yellow cards: Arthur 23, J Smith 43, Peacock 83.

Red cards: None.

Shots on target: City 5, Grimsby 1.

Shots off target: City 5, Grimsby 5.

Corners: City 1, Grimsby 2.

Fouls: City 9, Grimsby 11.

Offsides: City 9, Grimsby 2.

Referee: Andy Madley (Ossett).

Attendance: 3,028 (836 from Grimsby).