United are back at Plainmoor this weekend as they face York City, looking to extend their current winning run.
With just four games left to play this season Gary Johnson’s men will be looking to extend their four match winning run and close the gap on the teams above them, as they face a York City side who themselves are not out of danger from the drop zone.
Who’s the Boss?
Michael Morton is York City’s third manager this season and is in interim charge until the end of the season following David Webb’s sacking in February , with Morton being Webb’s Assistant Manager during his short spell in charge. Morton has 20 years of coaching experience, after beginning his career as a Lead Coach in Leeds United’s academy sides in 2003. Following on from there he enjoyed a seven year stint at Premier League champions Manchester City, before becoming manager at Tadcaster Albion in the 2017/18 season, where he guided them to the Northern Premier League Division One North play-off semi-finals. before returning to Leeds once more at the end of 2018, and then joining up with Webb at the Minstermen in December 2022.
How have they been doing?
York’s National League campaign began very well with their opening 12 games bringing five wins, three draws and four defeats, though after their 1-0 home victory over United back at the start of October, the Minstermen were to go on a nine match winless run until they recorded a 2-0 win away at Woking on the 10th December, though it was during this time that John Askey was relieved of his duties as Manager at the club. Dave Webb was appointed in charge in December 2022, with the win against Woking being his first game in full charge. In their first 16 league games of 2023, City only managed five victories in a spell that saw Webb lose his job and his Assistant Michael Moton take charge on an interim basis until the end of the season. York started April well with two successive wins at home to Barnet and away at Chesterfield, but lost 3-0 at home to FC Halifax on Monday to leave them with a record coming into this game of 13 wins, 10 draws & 20 defeats, with them laying in 17th position on 49 points from their 43 games played so far this season.
Player to watch
Olly Dyson is an attacking midfielder who has been an important member of the York City squad now for the last three seasons, being an integral part of their Play Off winning side of last season to get them out of the National League North, when they beat Boston United 2-0. Dyson came through the ranks at Huddersfield Town playing for both their U18 & u23 sides, while also having loan spells at Liversedge, Shaw Lane & Barrow prior to his arrival at the Minstermen following his release from the Terriers in 2020. Dyson has played in the majority of York’s matches this season and has scored four goals, with his latest coming in City’s 3-1 win at Chesterfield on Good Friday.
Played for both
Mark Ellis came through the ranks at Bolton Wanderers but never made a senior start for the club, and it was while he was with the Trotters that he had his first spell here at United, that being a loan spell in 2007/08 where he made 22 appearances and scored three goals. That loan move was made permanent in 2008 upon his release from Bolton, with Ellis going on to spend the next four years at Plainmoor, playing nearly 100 games and scoring nine goals, with a loan spell at Forest Green Rovers coming during his time here in 2009.
Upon leaving the Gulls, the defender has gone on to play for Crewe Alexandra, Shrewsbury Town, Carlisle United, Leyton Orient, Tranmere Rovers & Notts County before he joined current club Barrow in 2021. Since being at Holker Street, Ellis has had three loan spells, firstly at Solihull Moors, and then earlier this season saw him return to Plainmoor, where he made another nine appearances and scored two goals, those being in the home games against Dorking & Yeovil. His third loan spell sees him currently with today’s opponents York City, where he has so far played eleven games.
Head To Head
Prior to October’s visit to the LNER Community Stadium, the Gulls hadn’t faced the Minstermen since December 2016, when a 0-0 draw was played out at York’s previous ground and was the season that saw York slip out of the National League and into the National League North, where they have played until last seasons promotion through the play-offs.
This will be the 50th meeting between the two clubs with only three of those meetings coming outside of the Football League, those being in the National League in the 2016/17 season and this seasons meeting. United recorded a 2-0 victory at Plainmoor in York’s last visit to the English Riviera, with two goals from Nathan Blissett giving the Gulls the three points. The Minstermen tasted victory earlier this season, when a goal from Alex Hurst in the 71st minute was enough to separate the sides.
The Head To Head Reads:
Torquay Wins – 14
Draws – 18
York Wins – 17