YORK City paid the penalty for failing to make their first-half dominance count at Southend.

Substitute Shaq Coulthirst’s 88th-minute spot kick secured the hosts a scarcely-deserved 1-0 victory, although talk of the Minstermen’s misfortune will sound hollow and of no consolation should the visitors continue to misfire in the final third of the pitch.

It is a worrying statistic that City supporters have failed to see their side score more than a single goal in 80 per cent of matches since the beginning of last March.

Following defeat at Roots Hall, nine points have also been tossed away this term with the clock showing 88 minutes or more, and such late strikes are always likely to prove more decisive when the team cannot capitalise on opportunities at the other end of the pitch.

Coulthirst’s goal came seven days after another second-half replacement Adam McGurk grabbed a last-gasp equaliser for Burton at Bootham Crescent.

Other subs, such as Jack Redshaw, Kane Hemmings, Harry Forrester and James Rowe, have also struck vital goals for opposing sides this term.

City, whose manager Russ Wilcox regularly talks of the need for game-changers on his bench, have only seen one replacement get on the scoresheet all season and that was back in August when Wes Fletcher converted a penalty against Cambridge.

In fact, the last substitute to score in open play was the long-since departed Will Hayhurst against Wilcox’s Scunthorpe team in May.

While City are now third-bottom in the Football League, only ahead of a Mansfield team who have played a game less on goal difference, some solace might be found in the reality that the club have only been beaten by more than a one-goal margin four times, outside of cup competitions, this season.

Indeed, you have to trawl back 15-and-a-half months to uncover the last three-goal defeat at Newport in October 2013 but, unless your sport is rugby league, nobody dishes out bonus points for narrow losses.

A winless January, where each opponent has been a top-ten outfit, has certainly not helped City’s cause.

Home fixtures against fellow strugglers Dagenham and Tranmere on back-to-back Saturday afternoons could now determine whether this year’s opening five fixtures provide extenuating circumstances for a run of two points from a possible 15 in 2015 or the team’s lack of firepower and season-long struggle to claim victories at Bootham Crescent spell genuine trouble.

Lest we forget, City also finished last term as a top-seven side and, on the evidence of two-thirds of the current campaign, there remains little to fear in the division.

Southend certainly did not seem 17 places superior to their visitors in a one-sided opening 45 minutes in Essex.

Luke Summerfield and Emile Sinclair both called Daniel Bentley into early action from distance before the Shrimpers’ shot stopper also produced a flying save from the former’s well-struck 20-yard effort.

On 25 minutes, City skipper Russell Penn headed wide with the goal at his mercy after John McCombe rose highest to meet Josh Carson’s corner.

After Brad Halliday had then motored from his own half to the edge of the Southend penalty box before firing just wide with his left foot, another chance also went begging when Jake Hyde shot weakly at Bentley when Carson was unmarked to his left.

Further headers from McCombe and Keith Lowe were kept out by a combination of unconvincing goalkeeping by Bentley and a Michael Timlin goal-line clearance, while Hyde called the Shrimpers’ net-minder into action low to his right.

Joe Pigott, meanwhile, mustered Southend’s first on-target goal attempt on 43 minutes with his hopeful 25-yard drive comfortably gathered by Bobby Olejnik.

The hosts’ only other first-half chance had seen another Pigott strike from distance blocked by McCombe.

Southend, though, improved after the break while City faded as an attacking force.

Timlin’s early 20-yard drive was touched around his left-hand post by Olejnik and Pigott also headed wide following Ben Coker’s inswinging cross from the right flank.

After Bentley kept out Sinclair’s edge-of-the-box strike at the other end, Olejnik then produced a brilliant improvised save, stretching out his right leg to keep out Pigott’s firm eight-yard shot.

Hyde also headed wide from a Malvind Benning free-kick, but Myles Weston tested Olejnik from 25 yards and Coulthirst missed two opportunities from closer in - heading the first over and scuffing the second wide.

After Carson had lifted an edge-of-the-box shot on to the roof of the stand, Coulthirst made no mistake with his next chance.

Halliday allowed Pigott to get the wrong side of him in the penalty box and then clipped the on-loan Charlton forward’s ankles with referee Darren Sheldrake immediately pointing to the spot.

The on-loan Tottenham striker kept his composure from 12 yards, sending Olejnik the wrong way to find the City keeper’s bottom left-hand corner.

It was a harsh lesson for Halliday and one that he must learn, but the 19-year-old defender should not carry the can for defeat following another whole-hearted, spirited performance.

Those further up the pitch were arguably more culpable and City, without a goal from open play in more than seven-and-a-half hours of football, must start finding the net again swiftly to avoid a frantic finale to a frustrating season.


Match facts

York City 

Bobby Olejnik: 7 – made a terrific save to deny Pigott and equal to everything else Southend mustered other than penalty.

Brad Halliday: 7 – late lapse should not mar a determined performance full of grit and prudent attacking intent.

Keith Lowe: STAR MAN 8 – swept up the majority of things at the back and, when he did make odd error, atoned immediately.

John McCombe: 7 – caused Southend problems at set-pieces and kept everything simple at the back.

Mal Benning: 7 – steady enough in defence without posing the hosts any real concerns going forward.

Michael Coulson: 6 – struggled to make an impact in open play and did not get a sight of the home goal.

Russell Penn: 7 – battled away in midfield and encouraged team to drive forward during first 45 minutes.

Luke Summerfield: 7 – picked his passes wisely and carried a goal threat but not as prominent after the interval.

Josh Carson: 6 – took up some promising positions but did not receive the ball and did not get enough crosses into the box.

Jake Hyde: 5 – tepid for long periods, lost possession cheaply at times and home defenders seemed to have his measure.

Emile Sinclair: 7 – caused Southend one or two problems with his pace but restricted to long-range shots.

Subs: Wes Fletcher (for Sinclair, 74), Carlton Morris (for Hyde, 82), Lewis Montrose (for Penn, 82). Not used: Michael Ingham, Marvin McCoy, Lindon Meikle, Dave Winfield.

Southend

Daniel Bentley, John White, Adam Thompson, Jerome Binnom-Williams, Ben Coker, David Worrall (Kevan Hurst, 62), Ryan Leonard, Michael Timlin, Will Atkinson (Myles Weston, 58), Jake Cassidy (Shaq Coulthirst, 75), Joe Pigott. Subs not used: Paul Smith, Luke Prosser, Jack Payne, Gary Deegan.

Star man: Timlin – contributed to team’s attacking and defensive efforts.

Referee: Darren Sheldrake (Surrey).

Rating: 7/10 – gave both sides little cause for complaint.

Booked: Benning 74, Halliday 85.

Attendance: 6,126 (281 from City).

Shots on target: Southend 6, City 7.

Shots off target: Southend 3, City 4.

Corners: Southend 6, City 8.

Fouls conceded: Southend 9, City 12.

Offsides: Southend 1, City 0.