DANNY Galbraith struck in stoppage time to earn York City a vital home victory against fellow strugglers Stevenage.

Visiting midfielder Keith Keane had cancelled out Kenny McEvoy’s first-half goal on 78 minutes but the Minstermen displayed great spirit and claimed all three points through Galbraith’s edge-of-the-box strike.

During the opening exchanges, Stevenage had a couple of half-chances but Deimanatas Petravicius thighed a tame four-yard effort straight at Scott Flinders following Charlie Lee’s left-wing cross and Tom Pett’s threatening run through the same channel ended with a shot that was deflected away from goal by Dave Winfield.

It was the Minstermen, though, that forged ahead through a swift 15th-minute counter attack.

Breaking from a third straight Stevenage corner in succession, Luke Summerfield picked out Michael Coulson on the left flank from inside his own half.

Coulson, in turn, sent McEvoy sprinting clear on goal and he coolly shot past Stevenage keeper Chris Day from 12 yards.

Moments later, Vadaine Oliver headed over from a left-wing Femi Ilesanmi centre before the hosts survived a scare when Winfield failed to head clear a long Connor Ogilvie but Aaron O’Connor saw his scuffed, four-yard opportunity deflected wide. On 35 minutes, Coulson played in Oliver though the right channel but his low, angled ten-yard drive was kept out well by Day’s feet.

After the restart, Dean Parrett lifted a poor edge-of-the-box effort well over for the visitors before Flinders was called into a smart near-post save to keep out O’Connor's ten-yard drive.

Fraser Franks went on to prod wide following Parrett’s corner, while Coulson forced the ball over the line at the near post following McEvoy’s low right-wing cross but referee Jeremy Simpson spotted a foul on Day.

But, with the Minstermen’s attacking threat diminishing, Stevenage drew level on 75 minutes after Keane’s 30-yard pot-shot deceived Flinders.

Pett went on to miss the target by inches with a low edge-of-the-box drive, while Oliver headed in for City but was flagged offside.

At the other end, Winfield made an excellent goal-line clearance in the first minute of added-on time after O’Connor had lifted the ball over Flinders and that paved the way for substitute Galbraith to pick up the ball 40 yards from goal, stride forward to the edge of the box and then beat Day with a low shot that went in off the away keeper’s right-hand upright.