Rushden and Diamonds outshine poor York City

Rushden and Diamonds had put nine past the crisis-hit Blue Square Premier club at the weekend and, although they didn’t fill their boots in front of goal last night, they beat York City just as easily.

There were few, if any, positives for Martin Foyle at Nene Park.

City were desperately poor at times and it wasn’t until Andy Burgess and Rob Wolleaston had put the game beyond them that the Minstermen showed any kind of fight.

They were second best in all departments and this defeat, against a side which hadn’t won in eight before despatching Weymouth’s kids, plunges them further into the relegation mire.

Foyle had promised to make changes and Mark Robinson, one of several players teetering on the brink of suspension with four bookings, was out, while cup-tied Simon Brown and Christian Smith returned to the starting line-up.

City struggled to get into the opening stages in what was a desperate start.

It was 12 minutes before either side began to press forward – and it was Rushden who took the initiative.

Rob Wolleaston robbed Levi Mackin on the byline and whipped in a right-footed cross, which Andy McWilliams had to head behind.

Daniel McBreen was in good position to block Marcus Kelly’s shot from the following corner before Chris Hope headed straight at Michael Ingham.

City weren’t creating anything, pumping the ball upfield and losing possession, while Rushden piled on the pressure.

It was 20 minutes before City had their first shot, and Mackin was never troubling Dale Roberts with a free-kick which started high and only rose further into orbit.

Ingham had to be at his very best on the half hour when tipping round a shot from Rushden skipper Burgess.

He received the ball on the right-hand side of the penalty area and struck it across Ingham, who was at full stretch to get a palm on it and keep it out.

With ten minutes to the break, Tomlin robbed McWilliams and wandered through the City half before firing wide of the right-hand post.

It had the feel of a practice match for Rushden, with Kelly City’s chief tormentor.

The Minstermen showed a glimmer of light when Brodie shot wide but McWilliams had to put in an excellent challenge to keep Rushden out on their very next attack.

Two minutes after the break, Neil Cousins should have done better when shooting wide of Ingham’s right-hand post after being put through by Tomlin.

There was hope. Brown took the ball off Curtis Osano on the byline and skipped into the box before chipping his cross just over the head of McBreen.

But that’s all it was.

Rushden had looked like they had left their shooting boots at Weymouth, but a captain’s touch changed all that.

From a short corner, on 58 minutes, the ball was whipped into City’s box – allowed to bounce – and it fell nicely to Burgess, who hit it wide away from Ingham into the net.

Roberts did well to get a strong hand to McWilliams’ 25-yard free-kick before Rushden doubled their lead with 18 minutes remaining.

City were once again poor in their own half and Wolleaston chased a one-two, sprinted between two defenders, and smashed the ball into the bottom right-hand corner with Ingham stranded.

Christian Smith was unlucky not to reduce the deficit when Roberts produced an acrobatic stop to deny the City midfielder after he was picked out by Adam Smith on 80 minutes.

The former Gainsborough winger’s arrival, as a substitute for Simon Rusk, did provide something of a spark as City finally began to play some football.

But, by then, the game and the points had gone.

Match facts

Rushden and Diamonds 2 (Burgess 58; Wolleaston 72), York City 0

City: Michael Ingham 6, Kyle Critchell 5, Shaun Pejic 4, Danny Parslow 5, Andy McWilliams 5, Christian Smith 5, Levi Mackin 5, Simon Rusk 4, Simon Brown 4, Richard Brodie 5, Daniel McBreen 6.

Substitutions: Adam Smith (for Rusk, 67) 7, Onome Sodje (for McBreen 71) 5, Adam Boyes (for Brodie, 71) 6.

Subs not used: Russell, Greaves.

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: Adam Smith – did more in 20 minutes than the rest did in whole game.

Rushden: Dale Roberts, Curtis Osano, Simon Downer (Jake Beecroft 75), Chris Hope, Kurt Robinson, Andy Burgess, Michael Corcoran, Rob Wolleaston, Marcus Kelly, Neil Cousins (Sam Smith 67), Lee Tomlin (Michael Rankine 87).

Subs (not used): Joe Day, Jamie McGuinness.

Yellow cards: Roberts 37.

Shots on target: Rushden 4, York 3

Shots off target: Rushden 6, York 3

Corners: Rushden 6, York 2

Fouls: Rushden 11, York 9

Offsides: Rushden 2, York 4

Referee: Amy Rayner (Loughborough).

Rating: wasn’t really noticed, which is a good thing.

Attendance: 1,020 (87 away fans).

Save of the match: Ingham’s full stretch tip from Andy Burgess was one of the few moments of quality from a City player.

Moan of the match: That City didn’t threaten Rushden at all until the arrival of substitute Adam Smith in the 67th minute.

City player watch: Daniel McBreen

Goal attempts on target: 0

Goal attempts off target: 0

Passes to own player: 3

Passes to opposition: 0

Pass completion rate: 100 per cent

Crosses to own player: 0

Crosses to opposition: 0

Headers: 13

Tackles: 2

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 3

Fouls won: 3

Fouls conceded: 1

Offsides: 1

Yellow cards: 0

Final summary: The Aussie striker led the line, but received precious little service from a desperate York City midfield. The ball was usually lumped forward to him, shown by his 13 headers but, having been lethal against Havant, North Queensland Fury’s new forward didn’t have a shot all night. Tried to work back and did well to block a Kelly shot close the goalline in the first half, but he figured little in a team which did little.