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| York City 1-2 Leyton Orient (01/05/04) |
Today's match against Leyton Orient may have been the
last league football York fans will see at Bootham Crescent for years to come,
but the atmosphere was far from despondent. Despite witnessing another home
defeat, the City faithful showed a loyalty and commitment to their club beyond
belief, which can only bode well for the future health of the Minstermen.
Throughout the match the vocal support was maintained, culminating in an
emotional show of unity at the final whistle when a good natured pitch invasion
saw hundreds of fans chant the name of their beloved club and also that of its
beleaguered player-manager, Chris Brass. Brass himself then made a brief speech
promising scenes of jubilation this time next season.
There can be no doubt that York City supporters have earned their truly unique
status over the last couple of dark years and surely no other set of fans would
"celebrate" loss of league status like a promotion. But celebrate they
did, without irony and with a strong belief that a Conference side in the hands
of the supporters, is far better than a league club experienced under the likes
of Craig and Batchelor.
As for the match itself, well it was something of a sideshow. Orient looked what
they are, a limited third division side, but still had too much know how and
presence to overcome this patched up, youthful, York side.
However, the Minstermen had started brightly enough and on five minutes actually
had the rare luxury of finding themselves a goal up. Firstly, good work by Liam
George had set up Dunning on the left and the City Player of the Year shot
goalwards. The keeper managed to parry the ball over, but his reprieve was
short-lived as Stuart Wise powerfully headed home the resultant corner.
Confidence seemed to flow back into the side as for a while, York played some
decent football. Brass should have scored when he failed to connect with an
excellent Bryan Stewart cross, only five yards out and Wise had another
dangerous header from a Dunning corner.
Gradually however, Leyton Orient managed to get a toe hold in the game. The
lively Ciaran Toner had two good chances, before Alexander forced a one handed
finger-tip save from Porter, after connecting "bicycle kick" fashion
with a well worked free kick. From the resultant corner however, Porter failed
to make his presence felt and Mark Peters had the easiest of chances, heading in
from close range, to level the scores with 28 minutes gone.
There then followed a disastrous fifteen minute spell for the City keeper as,
confidence gone, he seemed unable to connect with any Orient cross. To compound
his misery, he then made an awful hash of trying to gather a hopeful punt
forward into the box, allowing Gary Alexander to head in from the very limits of
the penalty area. York were behind 1-2 and barely had time to restart the match
before the half-time whistle blew.
The second-half was largely forgettable and witnessed some football that would
have disgraced even the Conference to which City are heading. Both teams
struggled to control the ball on a hard pitch and for the most part, shots were
restricted to efforts from distance.
However, things did liven up considerably in the last ten minutes as both sides
increased the tempo. For York, Bryan Stewart seemed to have the beating of his
marker and managed to get round the back of the Orient defence on a couple of
occasions with some genuine wing play. Oh, for more of that to have been in
evidence during the course of the season.
On 82 minutes, a Stewart by-line pull back was met by substitute Kane Ashcroft
in probably his first touch in league football, only for the ball to be driven
firmly into the keepers arms from five yards out. Shortly after, Bell too came
close for City after being put through by Stewart and his low shot from the left
of the area was pulled agonisingly wide.
At the other end, Orient too had their chances, no more so than when Alexander
shot powerfully, only to see his effort come back from the underside of the
crossbar.
However, with the fans ready to invade the pitch, the referee brought an end to
league football at Bootham Crescent (for the time being at least) with a blow of
his whistle.
So, it marked the end of this particular seventy-five year old chapter, but the
book is far from finished and there is no reason why come August 2004, we should
not all be gathered again at our beloved Bootham Crescent for another
instalment. For one thing has been proven, York fans may be small in number, but
their commitment to the club is now legendary. If tens of thousands of pounds
can be collected in buckets to save the club from extinction, then who says that
Chris Brass's promise won't be fulfilled next May, with something real to
celebrate?
This is our club and as one defiant banner waving in the Main Stand proclaimed;
"WE'LL BE BACK". With fans like ours....its
a certainty.
Crowd: 3462 (418 away)
Men of the Match: Stuart Wise and Bryan Stewart - The future of YCFC.
Report by: Mark Willis.
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