United 3
(Jarvis 14′, 21′, 58′)
York 2
(John-Lewis 28′, Crooks 90′)
United held their nerve on Saturday, as an Aaron Jarvis hat-trick secured a fifth-successive win over York City at Plainmoor.
Newly-crowned Player of the Season Jarvis celebrated in style by notching an early brace for Gary Johnson’s side, before York promptly reduced the arrears through Lennell John-Lewis. Jarvis’ second-half penalty re-established the two-goal margin, and although a last-minute strike from Adam Crooks set up a nerve-jangling finale, Torquay held on to secure a vital three points in front of their adoring fans.
The Gaffer made one change to the side that disposed of Maidenhead so confidently on Bank Holiday Monday, as Kieron Evans took the place of Tom Lapslie in the starting XI, whilst on the bench, there was a recall to the matchday squad for Dylan Crowe, who took Evans’ place amongst the replacments.
There was an early scare for The Gulls, as former Torquay’s centre-back Mark Ellis’ first-minute long throw into the penalty area was nodded kindly into the direction of Olly Dyson, who sent a volley just over the crossbar from 18 yards.
That brief sight of goal went against the pattern of closely-fought opening to proceedings however, with both sets of players largely cancelling each other out.
That all changed on 14 minutes.
After Evans saw his initial free-kick headed clear, and exchange of passes down the right touchline with Dean Moxey allowed the on-loan Cardiff man to deliver a marvellous floated cross to the back-post, where Jarvis was ideally placed to head home his 16th goal of a productive season.
Goal number 17 was only moments away.
Seven minutes later, a loose ball on the halfway line provided Jack Stobbs with all the invitation that he needed to venture into the City half, and with fellow wideman Lewis Collins switching wings to provide some additional support doen the right, Collins sensibly took a moment to check back onto his left foot, before flicking the ball across the face of the six-yard box. The delivery took out visiting goalkeeper Ryan Whitley, but thankfully not Jarvis, who gleefully prodded the ball home to make it 2-0.
All of a sudden, the game had burst into life, and it wasn’t long before York got on the scoresheet themselves.
Having just about got away with some pinball inside their own penalty area moments earlier, a left-wing cross from Adam Crooks found the head of The Minstermen’s own leading scorer, who powered home to halve the deficit.
The visitors went on the offensive following that boost, with Mark Halstead called into action on a couple of occasions. His near-post denial of Shaqai Forde’s eight-yard drive on 38 minutes was bettered only moments later, as he then went to his right to parry Max Kouogun’s header from a similar distance, from the resultant corner.
The aerial prowess of their opponents was certainly keeping The Gulls’ backline busy, as the territorial stakes began to swing in City’s favour.
The men in yellow did begin to throw off the shackles with a couple of promising attacks just prior to the change of end,s as Johnson’s men made it to the halfway point in front, but having soaked up a significant amount of pressure during the first 45 minutes, United’s players and fans were left in no doubt that the outcome of the points remained in the balance.
Both sides would have been looking to make strong starts following the resumption, but neither were able to fully impose themselves during a scrappy start to the second period.
Having exchanged half-chances without much of a threat of a breakthrough, the 57th minute saw Torquay’s Player of the Season given the opportunity to crown his special day with his second hat-trick in United’s colours, and it was an invitation he couldn’t refuse.
As The Gulls’ leading scorer chased a high ball into the area, Kouogun’s clear tug saw Jarvis illegally prevented from making further progress, with the referee wasting little time in pointing to the spot.
United’s Number Nine duly picked himself before steadying himself, with the ball lashed home moments later, as Jarvis sent Whitley the wrong way to make it 3-1.
York responded once more, with only a magnificent point-blank goalline block preventing Shaqai Forde from profiting amid panic inside the area, before the same player fluffed his lines when well-placed shortly after, as he blazed a right-footer wide from six yards.
To their credit, Johnson’s men took that threat as a final warning, and set about extending their lead even further.
Jarvis, with a rifled near-post shot on the turn from a left-wing cross was decidedly unlucky to see the ball stop dead just short of the goalline, with the bewildered ‘keeper Whitley just about managing to regain his bearings and gather the loose ball in the nick of time.
Just when Johnson’s men looked as though they had weathered the storm, a late reply from York saw the points back up for grabs.
With City sending numbers forward in desperation, substitute Maziar Kouhyar saw his effort from ten yards rattle the woodwork, with Crooks on hand to slam home the rebound, just as the game headed into injury time.
Five minutes of stoppage time did little to ease the nerves around Plainmoor – nor did a string on late corners – but United did enough to seal the deal, with the final whistle greeted with rapturous applause and fervent noise all around a bouncing Plainmoor.
Five-on-the-trot is an amazing feat, but with three games to go, there’s still some to go before the real celebrations can begin in earnest.
UNITED: 1. Mark Halstead, 8. Asa Hall (c) (7. Ryan Hanson, 78′), 9. Aaron Jarvis, 11. Kieron Evans, 16. Shaun Donnellan, 19. Nico Lawrence, 21. Dean Moxey, 27. Jack Stobbs, 28. Kevin Dawson, 31. Lewis Collins (5. Ali Omar, 83′), 45. Frank Nouble (15. Ben Wyatt, 77′).
SUBS NOT USED: 2. Dylan Crowe, 22. Rhys Lovett.
Yellow Cards: Dawson 37′, Collins 68′
YORK CITY: 18. Ryan Whitley, 2. Ryan Fallowfield, 3. Adam Crooks, 4. Maxim Kouogun (11. Maziar Kouhyar, 78′), 6. Patrick McLaughlin, (Manny Duku, 70) 7. Alex Hurst, 8. Olly Dyson, 9. Shaqai Forde, 14. Lenell John-Lewis (c), 16. Mitch Hancox, 24. Mark Ellis.
SUBS NOT USED: 21. Gus Mafuta, 25. Maison Campbell, 28. Michael Duckworth.
Yellow Cards: Hurst 17′, Forde 28′, Kouogun 57′
Attendance: 3,469 (424 away)