York City 1, Torquay 2

The Minstermen chief normally avoids vitriolic attacks on officials but the frustration of seeing his side denied a point in stoppage time against a Torquay team who had won their last six games clearly hurt.

City had matched their high- flying visitors all afternoon and deserved a draw for their efforts.

And that looked their likely reward when skipper Mark Greaves headed in an 85th-minute equaliser and also became the club’s joint leading marksman on four goals in the process.

Mr Curry, though, spiced things up at the death by choosing to overlook an apparent foul on City ’keeper Michael Ingham and allowing Mark Ellis’ winning goal to stand.

Ingham was caught a little flat-footed as Kevin Nicholson swung in a free-kick from the right flank, but would have surely claimed the former Scarborough full-back’s cross had Sills not barged into him.

The Northumberland-based referee, however, signalled a goal when Ellis pounced to find an unguarded net after the ball had dropped invitingly to him in the six-yard box.

A crestfallen Ingham continued his protests as he pursued Curry down the players’ tunnel at the final whistle, while Walker also sought an explanation but the remonstrations, as ever, proved fruitless.

Curry had also done little to endear himself to City’s players, management or supporters prior to the Ellis effort. Midfielder Simon Rusk, in particular, was repeatedly penalised for a catalogue of puzzling offences.

In fact, his treatment appeared to verge on victimisation when, at one stage, the man in the middle made no attempt to move out of Rusk’s way as he looked to gain possession for the Minstermen.

Alongside Rusk, Steven Hogg again showed signs of the quality that persuaded Manchester United to keep him on their books for ten years.

But, despite having played for two hours in the Setanta Shield penalty shoot-out victory over Mansfield, Hogg was replaced with Simon Russell after 62 minutes against Torquay.

Walker, responsible for a series of successful substitutions early in his City managerial reign, then watched on as Russell surrendered possession in a mistake that led to the visitors’ first goal, leaving the player and his manager equally downcast.

But the Minstermen should take some solace from another more attractive performance, following on from their Mansfield triumph.

Bruce Dyer and Onome Sodje linked up encouragingly before both simultaneously running out of steam midway through the second half.

Earlier, Sodje’s excellent low cross had seen Gulls ’keeper Scott Bevan forced to smother at Dyer’s feet after only three minutes.

Moments later, Dyer returned the compliment, helping on Mark Robinson’s pass with a deft touch to release Sodje in the penalty box.

His 20-year-old striking partner could only hit the top of the David Longhurst Stand, however.

Hogg did the same from 30 yards before Ingham was called into action for the first time on 25 minutes, gathering a weak header by Sills.

A 20-yard Lee Mansell drive then cleared City’s crossbar while Hogg’s intelligent first-time pass found Sodje again but, this time, the former Charlton trainee sliced wide from the edge of the penalty box.

Torquay ended the half strongly with Chris Hargreaves and Roscoe Dsane both going close with headers from Mansell crosses.

An uneventful restart saw neither side threaten until Tyrone Thompson headed into the sidenetting on the hour mark.

Eight minutes later, the Gulls took the lead with a devastating counter attack after Russell had lost the ball in the visitors’ half.

Hargreaves immediately released Thompson down the left flank and his low cross picked out Dsane, who kept his composure to find an exposed Ingham’s bottom right-hand corner from eight yards.

On 71 minutes, Darren Kelly volleyed City’s first goal attempt of the half into the away end from 35 yards but substitute Daniel McBreen went closer when his first touch saw Bevan produce a fine fingertip save to keep out his header.

The home side, now playing a 3-4-3 formation, levelled after Greaves had forced a save from Bevan and Craig Farrell’s follow-up effort was deflected wide.

Greaves then climbed highest to meet Ben Purkiss’ corner and his downward header bounced into Bevan’s bottom left-hand corner from five yards.

City, though, looked vulnerable after their equaliser with Dsane firing wide and KitKat Crescent old boy Nicky Wroe testing Ingham.

Thompson, bursting down the right flank this time, then teased a foul out of Robinson, who appeared to win the ball with one leg while wrapping the other around the former Halifax midfielder.

Robinson was shown a yellow card, but worse punishment was to follow as Ellis settled matters in dubious fashion, consigning City to 15th place in the Blue Square Premier table.

Match facts

York City 1 (Greaves 85), Torquay 2 (Dsane 68, Ellis 90)

York City:Michael Ingham 6, Ben Purkiss 7, Danny Parslow 7, David McGurk 7, Darren Kelly 7, Mark Robinson 6, Mark Greaves 8, Simon Rusk 6, Steven Hogg 7, Onome Sodje 6, Bruce Dyer 7.

Substitutions:
Simon Russell (for Hogg, 62) 6
Craig Farrell (for Kelly, 73)
Daniel McBreen (for Dyer, 79)

Subs not used: Mimms, Boyes.

Key: 10 – Faultless; 9 – Outstanding; 8 – Excellent; 7 – Good; 6 – Average; 5 – Below par; 4 – Poor; 3 – Dud; 2 – Hopeless; 1 – Retire

City’s star man: Greaves – on target again and a biting, physical presence in City’s midfield.

Torquay: Scott Bevan, Lee Mansell, Steve Woods, Mark Ellis, Lee Hodges, Kevin Nicholson, Roscoe Dsane, Chris Hargreaves, Nicky Wroe, Tyrone Thompson, Tim Sills (Matt Green, 90). Subs (not used): Michael Brough, Elliott Benyon, Danny Stevens, Steve Adams.

Yellow cards:Sills 86, Robinson 90.

Referee: Paul Curry (Northumberland).
Rating: patchy performance with a crucial oversight at the end.

Attendance: 2,412 (244 Torquay fans).

Moment of the match: Dyer’s classy flicked pass into the path of strike partner Sodje early in the first half.

Miss of the match: Sodje hitting the roof of the David Longhurst Stand after collecting Dyer’s pass.

City player watch: Bruce Dyer

Goal attempts on target: 2

Goal attempts off target: 0

Blocked goal attempts: 0

Passes to own player: 26

Passes to opposition: 7

Crosses to own player: 0

Crosses to opposition: 0

Pass completion rate: 78.8 per cent

Dribbles ball retained: 6

Dribbles ball lost: 9

Dribble completion rate: 40 per cent

Headers: 5

Tackles: 3

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 0

Fouls won: 1

Fouls conceded: 1

Offsides: 3

Yellow cards: 0

Final summary: Bruce Dyer held the ball up well for City and his passing was generally reliable during a decent 79 minute performance. Despite his advancing years, also showed a willingness to dribble past players, although his experience did not prevent him straying offside three times. More a threat on the floor than in the air, Dyer only won five headers.