Today I'm going back 9 years to 2012 and York City's visit to Underhill to play Barnet in League 2 (the 4th level of the English football pyramid).
York had been promoted back into the Football League just three months earlier and this game was their first win back in the League following an opening day defeat to Wycombe Wanderers and an away point at Morecambe. It was City's first League victory since the 2-0 home victory over Carlisle United over eight years earlier in January 2004 and their first away win in the League since beating Rochdale in December 2003.
In front of a crowd numbering just 1,889 City's luck looked to be in when Danny Parslow fired home after just 7 minutes. The goal was destined to be Parslow's only goal in the Football League. After 16 minutes Ashley Chambers scored York's second but, on the half hour mark, Jon Nurse pulled one back for Barnet after good wing play from Andy Yiadom. The next goal looked to be crucial and it was York that got it on the stroke of half time when new signing Michael Coulson slotted home. There were no further goals in the second half to trouble the record books. Another collector's item in this game was the appearance of Danny Blanchett at full back for City. Blanchett made just four appearances for York before his one-year contract was cancelled by mutual consent in January 2013.
York's first season back in the Football League was, perhaps, something of a disappointment as several sides newly promoted from the Conference in recent seasons had gone on to make light work of the fourth tier, gaining a second promotion in short order. That was not to be for York and, indeed, by March, City looked to be in distinct danger of an immediate return to Non-League following an eleven match run without a win which left them looking nervously over their shoulders and only four points above the relegation zone. The poor run cost manager Gary Mills his job, although he would return to York to manage again in 2017. Under new boss Nigel Worthington, York ended the season strongly with four wins and two draws from the final six games but their fate wasn't decided until the last day of the season with a win over Dagenham & Redbridge that saw them reach the safety of 17th place. Barnet finished the season just four points behind York but were relegated.
CRB Match No. 1912
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