York City racked up a sixth successive home League win for the first time since 1997 with a 2-1 victory over Gateshead.

A first-half goal from Jonathan Smith gave the Minstermen an early lead against a Gateshead team, who had won their last seven games themselves and came back to level through James Curtis on 50 minutes.

Smith, though, won his side a second-half penalty that Leon Constantine converted.

Gateshead midfielder Kris Gate, who had conceded the spot-kick, was then sent off for a second bookable offence on Smith in the 67th minute as the visitors played out the last quarter of the match with ten men.

City boss Gary Mills made two changes to the side that started Saturday’s 2-1 victory at Hayes and Yeading United.

Top scorer Michael Rankine and winger Peter Till earned recalls with Jamie Reed and Will Hatfield dropping to the bench.

Mills also dispensed with his favoured 4-3-3 formation, opting for a 4-4-2 system like the visitors.

Gateshead included former Minstermen Craig Nelthorpe, Phil Turnbull and Jon Shaw in their starting line-up.

Nelthorpe, booed by home supporters remembering his troublesome spell at Bootham Crescent, blazed the first effort of the night into the David Longhurst Stand after just 13 seconds.

But City soon found their stride, swarming forward and playing some crisp one-touch football before opening the scoring from a dead-ball delivery on eight minutes.

Right-back Liam Darville’s free-kick found Till at the far post and he prodded the ball into the six-yard box, where a charging Smith tapped in his fourth goal of the season.

Had the determined Smith not scored, referee Jez Simpson could also have awarded a penalty with Ben Clark manhandling Chris Smith off the ball when, if he had concentrated on Darville’s delivery, he would probably have cleared the danger.

Rankine then saw two chances miss the target, firing an ambitious 35-yard volley wide before, falling backwards, he lifted another shot over from the edge of the penalty area.

Gateshead, who also looked to get the ball on the ground and pass it at every opportunity, had a clear sight of Michael Ingham’s goal on 35 minutes when Nelthorpe’s cross sailed over James Meredith but Nathan Fisher’s header lacked the power to trouble City’s in-form ’keeper.

At the other end, Rankine wasted a good opening when, having reached the byline, he booted his cross out for a throw-in with an unmarked Till waiting for the ball to be pulled back.

The visitors ended the half with an Adam Rundle drive deflected wide by Daniel Parslow and then started the second positively.

Ingham pushed an angled drive from Tavernier around his near post on 49 minutes and, from the resulting corner, the City ’keeper made a stunning reflex save to deny Clark.

After Turnbull’s follow-up shot was deflected wide, however, Ingham was left horribly exposed from the next flag-kick with Curtis rising unchallenged to head in Rundle’s centre.

Fisher then sidefooted straight at Ingham from a Tavernier cross as City looked to be rocking.

City chief Mills responded by replacing Rankine with Chris Carruthers and pushing Chambers alongside Constantine in attack.

The two new striking partners combined shortly afterwards but Chambers lifted an edge-of-the-box effort over.

It was Jonathan Smith again, though, who forced the issue for City.

With Gate running with the ball towards his own goal, Smith raced into the box to apply pressure on the Heed midfielder who, caught by surprise, tripped the City man to concede a penalty.

Constantine then sidefooted confidently to Tim Deasy’s left as the visiting ’keeper dived in the opposite direction to give City a 63rd-minute lead.

The night got worse for Gate who, having been cautioned for giving away the spot-kick, was sent off on 67 minutes for catching Jonathan Smith late near the dugouts.

City were not always convincing against the ten men for the remainder of the match but should have added to their lead in stoppage time when, first, Constantine was guilty of a glaring miss when picked out by Carruthers and, then, substitute Jamie Reed was denied by a Michael Liddle block.


Match facts

York City 2 (J Smith 8; Constantine pen 63), Gateshead 1 (Curtis 50)

York City: Michael Ingham 8, Liam Darville 7, Daniel Parslow 8, Chris Smith 8, James Meredith 7, Scott Kerr 7, Ashley Chambers 6, Jonathan Smith 8, Peter Till 8, Michael Rankine 7, Leon Constantine 7.

Subs: Chris Carruthers (for Rankine 57, 7). Andre Boucaud (for Kerr 70, 7). Jamie Reed (for Chambers 86).

Not used: Neil Barrett, Will Hatfield.

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: Jonathan Smith – another whole-hearted display by a player who makes things happen.

Gateshead: Tim Deasy, James Tavernier, James Curtis, Ben Clark, Michael Liddle, Adam Rundle, Kris Gate, Phil Turnbull, Craig Nelthorpe (Brian Wake 79), Jon Shaw, Nathan Fisher (Ashley Winn 70). Subs (not used): Craig Baxter, Paul Farman, Josh Gillies.

Booked: C Smith 15, Turnbull 56, Gate 62, Chambers 65.

Sent off: Gate 67.

Referee: Jez Simpson (Lancaster).

Attendance: 2,290 (125 from Gateshead).