WES FLETCHER despatched a 76th-minute penalty past the son of famous Crazy Gang goalkeeper Dave Beasant to trigger delirious York City celebrations at Stevenage.

The returning City striker, making his first League start for seven months, held his nerve from 12 yards in front of the visiting hoards to seal an exhilarating 3-2 victory.

His coolly converted spot kick also ended the Minstermen’s longest wait for a win at the start of any season since 1988, when Bobby Saxton’s side kicked off their campaign without tasting success in their opening seven fixtures too.

You have to trail much further back to find a City team that took longer to register that maiden success – Tom Johnston’s class of 1972/73 going a dozen games before breaking their duck in October.

But, with five consecutive League draws prior to Saturday’s Stevenage trip – all in contests that could have easily been won – there has been little alarm concerning the club’s early-season form.

In fact, disregarding the narrow play-off semi-final defeat to Fleetwood, City boss Nigel Worthington can now lay claim to a 23-match unbeaten run in regular League games – the equivalent of half a campaign and a sequence stretching back to January’s 2-0 home defeat to last season’s eventual champions Chesterfield.

A failure to capitalise on superior shot tallies in all their previous matches had been a contributing factor in City’s winless run this term but, at Broadhall Way, the hosts created twice as many opportunities as Worthington’s players.

The difference was the Minstermen netted from their first two attempts, with new strike partners Michael Coulson and Fletcher both scoring in the opening quarter-of-an-hour for a team whose previous quickest goal in 2014/15 had taken 42 minutes to arrive.

Coulson and Fletcher, who were only teamed together in attack for the first time during last Tuesday’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie at Barnsley, tortured Stevenage in an impressive start to the game, both getting on the scoresheet before the latter was also hacked down in the 31st-minute incident that saw home midfielder Andy Bond sent off for an early shower.

The ten men then fought back to level the scores with two goals in five second-half minutes as City looked in danger of racking up a Football League-record equalling sixth successive draw at the start of a season.

Graham Westley’s under-manned team even threatened to turn the tables completely but Fletcher showed characteristic composure to take his City penalty conversion rate to six in seven attempts.

Earlier, Coulson was halted in his tracks 25 yards from goal by one-time Bootham Crescent transfer target Darius Charles, who was cautioned and further punished when the City attacker claimed his first goal of the season by curling the consequent free-kick off a poorly-positioned Sam Beasant’s left-hand post.

After home forward Cameron Lancaster miskicked in front of Michael Ingham’s goal, Fletcher doubled the advantage following a devastating counter attack.

City skipper Russell Penn nicked possession off a ponderous Simon Walton near the halfway line and Coulson went on to unselfishly tee up Fletcher in the inside right channel, with last season’s 13-goal marksman displaying the kind of ruthless finish his manager has been craving during the current campaign, giving Beasant no chance from 12 yards with a firm and low first-time strike.

Charlie Lee’s acrobatic volley for Boro cleared Ingham’s crossbar moments later but Bond’s rash lunge at Fletcher 40 yards from the home goal looked to have done his side no favours just past the half-hour mark.

Instead, his dismissal seemed to galvanise Westley’s men and, after John McCombe volleyed over from 15 yards, Stevenage reduced the deficit on the hour mark from one of a number of free-kicks carelessly conceded by the visitors since the interval.

Right-back Ronnie Henry swung the ball in to the far post where Lee leapt the highest and Chris Whelpdale went on to head over Ingham from six yards.

The next chance of the game saw the home side draw level from another right-wing delivery by Henry that skimmed off Keith Lowe’s head and wrong-footed Marvin McCoy to leave Tom Pett with a clear shot of goal.

His finish was still emphatic, however, firing into Ingham’s bottom left-hand corner with a confident 12-yard strike.

Stevenage looked to be building up a real head of steam with Lee driving over from the edge of the box and Walton flashing another effort wide from a similar distance.

The Minstermen were under the cosh but broke away to restore their lead when McCoy drove into the penalty box and headed for the byline only to have his heels clipped by hero-turned-villain Pett.

Fletcher went on to find Beasant’s bottom right-hand corner as the former Woking and Billericay keeper dived in the opposite direction.

This time, the visitors never really looked in danger of surrendering their advantage, safely securing their first victory in nine matches against the 2009 FA Trophy winners.

Match facts

Stevenage 2 (Whelpdale 59; Pett 64), York City 3 (Coulson 3; Fletcher 15, 75 (pen) )

York City

Ingham 7 – Whelpdale stole in front of him for Stevenage’s first goal but helpless for Pett strike and handled well throughout.

McCoy 7 – beaten in the air for hosts’ opener but could do little for second and his positive burst led to the match-winning penalty.

Lowe 7 – made a mistake for Stevenage equaliser but did little else wrong.

McCombe 8 – stood firm and strong as Stevenage threatened a second-half onslaught.

Ilesanmi 8 – battled well to keep shackles on home dangerman Whelpdale.

Meikle 7 – plugged away on right flank but struggled to create chances for team-mates.

Penn 8 – set the early tone by never letting the opposition have a moment’s respite during the first half.

Summerfield 7 – matched the skipper’s energy with a combative display in the City engine room.

Straker 7 – a good outlet for the team, although his influence waned after the break.

Coulson 9 – tormented hosts in early stages, curling in his free kick and then unselfishly teeing up Fletcher.

STAR MAN Fletcher 9 – two goals from two chances - success rate his manager has been craving.

Subs: Jake Hyde (for Straker, 72), Ryan Jarvis (for Meikle, 88). Not used: Jason Mooney, Daniel Parslow, Lewis Montrose, Dave Winfield, Ben Hirst.

Stevenage

Joe Beasant, Ronnie Henry, Jon Ashton (Calvin Zola, 84), Darius Charles, Jerome Okimo (Bira Dembele, 46), Chris Whelpdale, Andy Bond, Simon Walton, Tom Pett, Charlie Lee, Cameron Lancaster (Adam Marriott, 59). Subs not used: Chris Day, Connor Calcutt, Roarie Deacon.

Star man: Henry – got Stevenage back into the game with right-wing deliveries.

Referee: Lee Collins (Surrey).

Rating: 7/10 – not swayed by home crowd and punished Stevenage’s ill discipline.

Booked: Charles 2, Walton 10, Straker 55, Hyde 82.

Attendance: 3,090.

Shots on target: Stevenage 6, City 4.

Shots off target: Stevenage 6, City 2.

Corners: Stevenage 4, City 4.

Fouls conceded: Stevenage 12, City 15.

Offsides: Stevenage 2, City 3.