By Sammi Minion
We ended last month’s report with the Minstermen at a real crossroads. I believe my final words were along the lines that the new boss, Adam Hinshelwood, had eight games to save York City from an embarrassing return to regional football.
Well, it appears he might have done just that. While there are still plenty of challenges ahead, City have climbed, at least for now, from 21st to 17th in the table.
Last month we left them, four points from safety — they are now four points clear of the relegation zone. What makes the rise even more exceptional is that no-one, not even the most enthusiastic of City fans, could have seen this coming.
From the outside, the month’s fixtures appeared virtually unwinnable.
But what followed was a series of victories over teams that past-form suggested York had no right to beat. Seventh-place Aldershot, third-place Bromley, and the most shocking of all — Hinshelwood’s men came from behind to defeat champions-elect Chesterfield F.C. on Good Friday.
Despite conceding an opener from Joe Quigley in the sixth minute, the Minstermen did not let their heads drop for a second, as they held the Spireites to just the one goal for the rest of the half.
As City continued to grow into the game they were eventually rewarded for their bravery. Maziar Kouhyar struck home in the 54th minute, before last summer’s star signing Dipo Akinyemi completed the comeback.
Then against all odds the Minstermen held out until the end of an agonising 97-minute game to claim a massive three points, giving those loyal city fans, who have had very little to celebrate since the turn of the year, the bank holiday weekend of their dreams.
Their next game, an away fixture vs local rivals Halifax Town, just four days later (although originally scheduled for Easter Monday and postponed thanks to a waterlogged pitch) might have carried the club even further.
An Akinyemi opener in the 74th minute had City fans dreaming of a perfect month— until the very dying embers of the game, when Town’s Robert Harker equalized.
Ultimately, Adam Hinshelwood may not have been able to deliver on the kind of optimistic goals many fans had envisaged at the start of the season when the Uggla ownership began, like playoffs or at least a top half finish. However, with the time he’s been given, he has all but confirmed safety, allowing those goals and ambitions to reset at the start of next season.
For his success in restoring pride at the LNER Community Stadium, Hinshelwood was even recognised by the National League and made their Manager of the Week on April the 3rd.
In other news, there have been a few incomings and outgoings around the club in the last few weeks, with goalkeeper Maison Campbell recalled from his loan at Scunthorpe, Sam Fishburn signed on a youth loan from Fleetwood Town, and Will Davies sent on loan to Bromley.
York City F.C. face Solihull Moors in their final National League fixture as they look to secure safety. Follow updates at www.yourlocallink.co.uk.
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