DESPERATE York City lost 1-0 to ten-man, relegation-threatened Gainsborough Trinity.

“Gray Out” calls were heard at Northolme as the hosts secured three precious points courtesy of Ashley Worsfold’s second-half goal.

Home defender Brandon Fleming had earlier been sent off on 24 minutes and visiting supporters also made their feelings known to the players, with calls of “This is Embarrassing” and “You’re Not Fit to Wear the Shirt” during the second half.

Gainsborough had earlier managed the first goal attempt after just 41 seconds, but Nathan Jarman’s speculative 25-yard shot on the turn was easily gathered by Adam Bartlett.

For City, skipper Sean Newton, playing as a striker, saw his free kick deflected over off the home wall, whilst a weak, long-range Alex Kempster effort failed to extend Henrich Ravas in the home goal.

Another tame Jarman strike was then collected by Bartlett, before referee Samuel Barrott made a controversial decision, blowing his whistle for Nathan Stainfield’s edge-of-the-box foul on Kempster as the ball broke to 16-year-old, full-debutant Vinnie Steels in front of goal.

Alex Pattison curled the resulting free kick wide, while Shane Clarke sliced well over from distance at the other end. Moments later, on-loan Hull City left-back Fleming received his marching orders when he and Connor Brown dived into a 50-50 challenge in front of the dugouts on the touchline.

Brown won the ball, while Fleming caught his ankle with Mr Barrott brandishing his red card following the inevitable melee on 24 minutes.

Just past the half-hour mark, hesitation by home defender Ioan Evans after a forward header by Dan Parslow let Kempster in, but Ravas was quick out of his goal to smother the ex-Whitley Bay forward’s shot.

Shortly afterwards, Bartlett needed to make a smart save down to his right to palm out Alex Simmons’ 20-yard strike, with sub Tom Davies sidefooting across the face of goal from the rebound, before the half ended with Newton’s deflected shot clearing the crossbar, following a short-corner routine with Pattison.

After the restart, Steels’ lofted cross to the far post was headed off target by Newton, before the ten-man hosts forged in front on 54 minutes.

Bartlett charged out of his goal after a ball was played over the top of City’s defence, but he only succeeded in punching weakly to Nicky Walker and flattening Parslow.

Winger Walker went on to play the ball to Worsfold, who found the roof of a vacated net from ten yards.

Away fans responded with a chant of “This is Embarrassing” followed by “Gray Out” calls.

The underfire City chief, desperately looking for attacking inspiration, subsequently threw Hamza Bencherif – without a goal in more than 60 appearances for the club – up front in an attempt to unsettle the Trinity back-line.

On 70 minutes, sub Aidan Connolly fired over after working an opening 15 yards from goal, while Gainsborough replacement Craig King’s first touch was to head over at the near post from a Simmons cross.

Simon Heslop, meanwhile, saw an ambitious long-range drive deflected away from goal, while a low Connolly drive was parried by Ravas, with no City player on hand to pounce on the loose ball.

As the game entered its final throes, Newton headed into Ravas’ arms following a Heslop cross and Parslow also rose glanced over from another centre by the same player.

In the first minute of stoppage-time, Heslop drove over from distance to howls of derision from the home fans, while Connor Smith flashed a shot wide of the near post with the final opportunity of an equaliser on a sorry afternoon.