Northwich Victoria

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Jonny Allan

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York City 1-2 Northwich Victoria

York City sank further into the relegation mire after Jonny Allan netted an injury-time winner for Northwich Victoria in a 2-1 victory at KitKat Crescent.

Allan had earlier opened the scoring midway through the first-half before Mark Robinson equalised from a 68th minute penalty.

Meanwhile, convincing wins elsewhere for fellow strugglers Grays Athletic and Woking leaves woeful York now staring at an increasingly likely relegation to Blue Square North.

The hosts didn't even start to fire until the half-time introduction of available again leading scorer Richard Brodie, surprisingly consigned to the substitutes' bench, in addition to winger Adam Smith with seventeen minutes remaining.

That brought them an equaliser after Brodie was shoved in the area by Ryan Brown, with Robinson converting from the spot to finally end his side's record of almost nine hours without a goal. York then pressed relentlessly for a winner, only for Allan to grab his second deep into added time and extend the visitors' own relegation lifeline by at least one more game.

Allan's first goal had earlier arrived on 26 minutes, at a time when the home side were temporarily reduced to ten-men after Shaun Pejic was forced from the action with a facial injury.

Ex-City trialist Lee Elam had already sent Michael Ingham scrambling across to his left when his 25-yard shot flashed inches wide on eleven minutes.

Aaron Burns then had an effort blocked after York's Onome Sodje had jumped out of a challenge, while Ingham denied Matty Crowell before Allan opened the scoring when drilling in from Joel Byrom's subsequent corner. Off the field receiving treatment at the time, Pejic was immediately replaced by Ben Purkiss.

Dismal York didn't really threaten until five minutes before the break when Mark Greaves headed Simon Brown's corner over. David McGurk was then perhaps fortunate to escape with just a caution following a clash with goalscorer Allen, who was also booked.

Manager Martin Foyle introduced Brodie at the start of the second-half, although it was Allan soon threatening to break clear inside the first minute. Adam Boyes had a shot deflected behind at the opposite end before also firing straight at keeper Ryan Clarke. Crowell then struck a 25-yard attempt at Ingham on the hour.

The Minstermen were level eight minutes later when Robinson kept his cool to convert from the penalty spot after Brodie had been pulled back in the area. Two minutes later a push on Boyes on the edge of the box witnessed Brodie hitting his free-kick straight at the defensive wall.

York threw on final substitute Adam Smith on 73 minutes. Within five minutes his dangerous driven attempt was diverted over his own bar by a covering defender. Sixty seconds later and Matt Bailey was forced into clearing off his own line after another Adam Smith shot was parried by Clarke.

It just appeared a case of whether the home side could find a late winner. As it was there was to be a cruel sting in the tail, when, in the second of three added minutes, Robinson failed to clear and allowed Allan to gleefully snatch a dramatic winner.

That may have provided a late lifeline for Vics boss Mark Preece, who was earlier sent to the stands, at least mathematically keeping alive his faint hopes of leading his side to eventual safety.

But it left his opposite number Foyle now without a victory in his last eight league games, and a record of only three in total since taking charge at the end of November. And unless that statistic improves markedly over the next fortnight, York too will find themselves effectively dead and buried.

York bookings: C. Smith (35), Robinson (42), McGurk (45)

Northwich bookings: Joyce (44), Allan (45), Grand (62), Bailey (75)

Ref: G. Eltringham (Sunderland)

Att: 2,421.