Match Report: York City 1-0 Barnet

A Shaq Forde strike five minutes before the break sealed all three points for York City over Barnet on Monday evening, as the Minstermen took a step closer to confirming survival in the National League.

A Shaq Forde strike five minutes before the break sealed all three points for York City over Barnet on Monday evening, as the Minstermen took a step closer to confirming survival in the National League.

The hosts started well, taking up most of the chances in the first half before that deserved opener came through Watford loan star Forde, who beat the Bees offside trap and advanced into the area before sticking it in the bottom corner.

It continued to be a similar story in the second half, with City coming close on multiple occasions, yet not able to add a second for security.

Arguably, captain Lenell John-Lewis should and could have had a hat-trick with the chances he had, but it is doubted that many fans will care about the way it is done, as this kind of victory could prove to be season-saving come the end of April.

Story of the match

Having had almost a week away from action, York City manager Michael Morton opted for a double change with Danny Rowe and Ryan Fallowfield dropping out of the lineup, as Alex Hurst and Mitch Hancox took their places.

For Barnet, it was a case of six changes following their FA Trophy exit at Gateshead, one of those being key man Harry Smith forced out with a facial injury while top scorer Nicke Kabamba regained his spot in the eleven.

Buoyed by the massive crowd behind them, City experienced a positive start to the game, although it was the visitors who were first to try at goal just four minutes in, but a tame low effort from the edge of the box didn't trouble Ryan Whitley in the slightest.

The Minstermen acknowledged the early warning signs and looked to break through themselves less than a minute later - after a good spell of possession, Alex Hurst drove a teasing ball across goal from the right with Lenell John-Lewis sliding in at the back post just a millisecond too late.

However, after that short flurry of chances, things calmed down for a bit, before York had another opportunity shy of twenty minutes as a free kick into the area from Mitch Hancox found Mark Ellis who just couldn't manage to keep his header down.

The search for an opener continued at the LNER Community Stadium, and there was hope that it would turn out to be very dissimilar to the previous Tuesday when City and Scunthorpe frustratingly fired blanks in a relegation six-pointer.

And that wish for a first-half goal would have been cured had it not been for an excellent save by Laurie Walker.

An accurate header from Ellis located John-Lewis at the far post who powered one towards the target from point-blank range only to be denied by a fantastic reaction stop from the Barnet 'keeper.

As the hosts kept piling pressure on a demoralised Bees side, they were finally rewarded for their efforts five minutes before the break.

Four games without scoring definitely isn't the norm for 18-year-old Shaqai Forde, but he cut out any chance of that happening with a perfect finish into the bottom corner after beating the offside trap and bursting forward into the box to break the deadlock.

Bright spark Hurst was inches away from doubling the advantage going into half time, but the tight angle didn't work in his favour, as the eventual strike grazed the top of the crossbar as it flew over.

Although it is a rare occasion when City manage to shut out their opponents, they looked in great shape to do so for the second consecutive, restricting their playoff-occupying opponents to just a single shot at goal during the first half.

And the second half resumed in pretty much the same fashion as the previous ended, with York looking ever-threatening again.

Cult hero Hancox saw a golden chance, acting quickly to race onto a loose ball 25 yards from goal, yet equally was Walker who slightly put off the York midfielder, the latter poking the ball forward but just a bit too far for him to race onto, rolling out of play.

Three minutes later, a home corner was nodded clear of the box, however only as far as John-Lewis who sent Walker scrambling desperately at a hopeful half-volley which ultimately came to nothing, bouncing wide of the left post.

And it didn't stop there, with Forde again racing in behind a shaky Barnet defence and with a marker hot on his heels was forced to release a shot, blazing it into the South Stand on the hour.

Chances kept on coming thick and fast for the Minstermen, as the Bees struggled to cope with a free kick which saw Ellis jump for a free header but somehow nod it wide of the mark.

Yet there would be a slight scare for the hosts shortly after, a low cross searching for David Moyo, but he just couldn't get on the end of it, failing to level totally against the run of play.

That brought on the realization that a single goal maybe wouldn't be enough for York, who can be quite susceptible to late drama, and John-Lewis could easily have put the game to bed by knocking across to an unmarked Forde in the box, however, showed the selfish side in him, inexplicably striking the wrong side of the post.

A late substitution from Morton almost proved useful, new man Danny Rowe nearly opening his City account in injury time with a fierce shot from the right, forcing Walker to turn wide.

Five more minutes of stoppage time to be played didn't appear to please most of the home contingent, mimics of the full-time whistle presenting their annoyance to sub-par referee Jacob Miles, who finally brought the action to an end in North Yorkshire, confirming a massive three points which distances them eight points from the bottom four, while Barnet remain unmoved in the playoff positions.

York City: Whitley, Hurst (Kouhyar 79'), Duckworth, Ellis, Crookes, Whittle, McLaughlin, Hancox (Mafuta 83'), Dyson, John-Lewis, Forde (Rowe 89')

Subs not used: Campbell, Kouogun

Goal: Forde (40')

Barnet: Walker, Revan (Gorman 62'), Wynter, Collinge, Diarra (Kanu 45'), Okimo, Senior, De Havilland, Pritchard, Beard, Kabamba (Moyo 45')

Subs not used: Potter, Armstrong

Yellow card: De Havilland (58')

Referee: Jacob Miles

Attendance: 4,416 (107 away)