DESPITE a sponsorship deal that attracted national headlines, it is fair to assume that few visitors to Blyth Spartans this season accept one advertising hoarding’s invitation to ‘Visit North Korea.’

For York City supporters, though, the list of nightmare destinations on their travels, is becoming a long one.

A 2-1 defeat at Blyth meant Sam Collins’ City side signed off for the calendar year with six straight league losses on the road following previous torturous trips to Telford (1-2), Spennymoor (0-3), Altrincham (0-3), Boston (0-2) and Darlington (1-5).

That sextet of setbacks equalled the sorriest away sequence suffered by City at the end of any post-War year, matched only in 1965, which is a sadly, sobering statistic given the team’s current sixth-tier status.

This contest arguably witnessed the visitors’ best National League North display outside of Bootham Crescent from those fixtures, but the final outcome was the same, as former City striker Bradley Fewster grabbed a controversial 83rd-minute winner for a host team, who have now won eight of their last nine undefeated matches.

Ex-Middlesbrough striker Fewster showed a ruthlessness that has largely deserted him since an individually, fruitful loan spell with the Minstermen saw him scoop a League Two Player of the Month award after netting four times in February 2016.

Remarkably, his latest strike represented only the third goal he has managed during the last two seasons, failing to hit the target at all during 24 games for Spennymoor last term.

But, as half the City team were desperately trying to get back into position after celebrating a disallowed Macaulay Langstaff goal, sub Fewster latched on to home keeper Peter Jameson’s big boot forward through the right channel, shrugged off the attentions of Josh Law and squeezed a shot past the outrushing Adam Bartlett.

The goal was a hammer blow for a City side who had recovered from conceding a Sean Reid penalty, given away by the recalled Hamza Bencherif on the quarter-hour mark, with Jake Wright levelling before the break.

But both Wright and Langstaff should have converted earlier straightforward chances and that profligacy would prove costly.

Jameson was later named the hosts’ man of the match but, in truth, he would have struggled to get out of the way of Wright and Langstaff’s close-range efforts, which were both aimed straight at him.

Nevertheless, Wright and Langstaff’s willing runs down the sides of the Blyth defence did see City set a good early tempo, leading to the first gilt-edged opportunity on ten minutes.

Jordan Burrow sent Wright scurrying away through the right channel and his low cross picked out Langstaff, only for the former Gateshead striker to sidefoot straight at Jameson from seven yards.

Instead, it was Alun Armstrong’s men that forged ahead after Wright was sidestepped on the edge of the away box and Kieran Green’s rasping drive was pushed around his left-hand post by an alert Bartlett.

From the resulting Jarrett Rivers corner, Bencherif was penalised for holding rival centre-back Aaron Cunningham and Reid confidently despatched the spot kick to Bartlett’s right as the City keeper dived in the opposite direction.

In response, good footwork by Wright 20 yards from goal created the space for a curling shot that narrowly missed Jameson's top-left corner.

But lively play by wingers Rivers and Jamie Holmes also led to home efforts that went close from a similar distance.

City went on to pass up their second glorious chance to get on the scoresheet just past the half-hour mark.

This time, Liam Agnew’s through ball saw Wright spring the home offside trap but, eight yards from goal and with only Jameson to beat again, he too shot weakly at the former Darlington shot-stopper.

Langstaff continued to torment Blyth right-back Alex Nicholson, though, cutting inside and shooting past the near post before teeing up Wright for his 36th-minute equaliser.

Reaching the by-line following a raid through the left channel, Langstaff sent in a low cross that saw Wright’s scuffed first shot clawed out on the goal-line by Jameson, only for the ex-Harrogate Town striker to blast the loose ball into the roof of the net.

Both City forwards were not as prominent during the second period, however, with loud 48th-minute shouts for a home penalty turned down as Kennedy Digie appeared to lean into Daniel Maguire before he crashed to the deck.

Midfielder Connor Oliver also tried his luck with a succession of 20-yard efforts that, in turn, were deflected wide, hit the roof of the stand and collected by Bartlett.

Nathan Buddle’s shot, meanwhile, was cleared off the line by Law following a scramble in the away box and Fewster announced his arrival into proceedings by firing across the face of goal from just outside the penalty area.

The Minstermen, who had not created a second-half opening, then looked to have snatched maximum points when Burrow won an aerial ball from a Law free kick and Langstaff’s header crept inside Jameson’s right-hand post.

But with shades of Sol Campbell and Argentina in 1998, Blyth quickly took the free kick awarded for offside, as unwitting, celebrating City players scrambled to get back into position.

Within seconds, Fewster found himself chasing after a long ball through the right channel and, when Law could not stop him, he coolly beat Bartlett.

Maguire subsequently caused the City back-line problems with strong runs off the ball resulting in one shot that forced Bartlett into a near-post parry and another that flashed just wide.

In between, Agnew’s 25-yard attempt was gathered by Jameson, bringing the curtain down on a torrid 2018 for the visitors.

City Ratings

Adam Bartlett 7

Nathan Dyer 7

Kennedy Digie 6

Hamza Bencherif 5

David Ferguson 7

Josh Law 6

Liam Agnew 6

Adriano Moke 6

Jake Wright 7

Jordan Burrow 6

Macaulay Langstaff 7

Substitutes: Alex Harris (for Wright, 78), Simon Heslop (for Moke, 80), Joe Ironside (for Law, 87).

Subs not used: Joe Davis, Ryan Whitley.

Star man: Ferguson - positive with his forward bursts and largely shackled the dangerous Rivers

Blyth: Peter Jameson, Alex Nicholson, Nathan Buddle, Aaron Cunningham, Michael Liddle, Jarrett Rivers, Kieran Green, Connor Oliver (Bradley Fewster, 71), Jamie Holmes (Adam Wrightson, 62), Sean Reid, Daniel Maguire (Jordan Watson, 90+2). Subs not used: Lewis Horner, Ian Watson.

Blyth star man: Buddle – strong presence at the back for hosts

Referee: Michael Barlow 5/10 – hasty with some of his decisions

Booked: Rivers 41, Bencherif 44, Liddle 60, Heslop 81.

Sent off: None

Attendance: 1,122

Shots on target: Blyth 6, City 5

Shots off target: Blyth 7, City 1

Corners: Blyth 8, City 1

Fouls conceded: Blyth 14, City 15

Offside: Blyth 0, City 2