York City 0, Grays Athletic 1: York City hand Grays Athletic chance to end their away-day losing streak

But the exhibitionist’s excitement could be forgiven, having finally found a host club charitable enough to gift his mediocre heroes a victory on their travels.

A strategically-placed sock spared the second-half intruder’s blushes, but there was no hiding York City’s embarrassment as the home side were booed off the pitch after going down 1-0 to a team that had lost their last ten away games in the league.

For new boss Martin Foyle – taking charge of his first KitKat Crescent clash – the performance represented a reality check.

Foyle arrived a fortnight ago with designs still set on the play-offs, but he will need to quickly learn the shortcomings and strengths of his inherited squad if the Minstermen are to avoid being dragged into a relegation dogfight.

City have now failed to win any of their last nine matches and one point from a possible six against troubled pair Salisbury and Grays does not bode well ahead of tomorrow night’s trip to title hopefuls Histon and a congested Christmas programme including two matches against table-topping Burton.

Grays were, quite simply, one of the worst sides to ever take three points away from the Minster city.

Wes Thomas’ 26th-minute, close-range effort was almost an apology for a goal after Jamie Slabber fluffed an easy chance only for the ball to fall fortuitously to the on-loan Dagenham and Redbridge striker.

Just seconds earlier, City left-back Mark Robinson had provided Stuart Thurgood with the opportunity to find Slabber at the far post after inadvisably attempting to dribble past the Grays midfielder on the edge of his own penalty box.

It was a costly mistake that led to Grays’ first away league goal in more than nine hours of football and the Minstermen were equally as careless at the other end of the pitch.

Despite missing the flair of Steven Hogg in the middle of the park and Liam Shepherd’s unpredictability on the flanks, City did manage to create more chances in this match than any other this season.

Unfortunately, neither Craig Farrell or Daniel McBreen could capitalise.

The guile of Bruce Dyer, thrust of Onome Sodje and enthusiasm of Richard Brodie might have made a difference in the final third but Foyle was deprived of their services through a mixture of injury, illness and suspension.

Instead, Saturday represented the 12th time Farrell and McBreen have started a game together with the strike partners claiming only two goals apiece from those matches.

Both are more comfortable supporting a natural goalscorer and Farrell, sadly, had a nightmare in front of the net, failing to take three glaring first-half chances.

Farrell’s first opportunity came on ten minutes when the former Leeds United reserve left David Button on his backside after appearing to barge into the advancing Grays ’keeper on the edge of the box.

Referee Robert Madley deemed the challenge fair, however, only for Farrell’s shot to be headed off the line by Fabian Wilnis.

Worse was to follow.

On 23 minutes, Farrell sprung the Grays offside trap to race on to a through ball by Simon Russell, who was a willing presence on the right flank until departing at half-time with a tight hamstring.

With Button running out to confront him again, Farrell opted to round the keeper but, when his touch took him too wide, he failed to hit the target from a rapidly-diminishing angle.

Thomas found the roof of the net from two yards shortly afterwards but, in between Button tipping over two decent long-range Andy McWilliams strikes, Farrell was played in on goal again.

On this occasion, skipper Mark Greaves tackled Thurgood and the ball broke loose to City’s struggling striker in the penalty box, but he carried the ball too close to Button before firing straight at the on-loan Spurs stopper.

As a result, Grays led at the break despite mustering just one other effort on the home goal – a wayward Wilnis effort that cleared the David Longhurst Stand.

City, in contrast, had totted up ten goal attempts and forced nine corners.

The visitors would not win their first flag kick until the 80th minute, by which time the Minstermen’s confidence had all but drained away.

On 54 minutes, Simon Rusk produced a poor pass when McWilliams had charged unnoticed into the Grays penalty box.

In a rare counter from Wayne Burnett’s men, Thomas drove wide before Ben Purkiss sidestepped a challenge and unleashed a 25-yard drive that Button beat away with his fists.

The former England under-17 international then smothered substitute Adam Boyes’ follow-up effort.

Teenager Boyes was denied a first senior goal on 79 minutes when he had the ball in the net, but McBreen was penalised for colliding with Button after good work down the left by McWilliams and Farrell.

McWilliams also fired wide of the near post from a short Purkiss free-kick on 84 minutes, but City’s last chance fell to an off-balance Farrell, who slipped and sliced wide from 20 yards.

Grays sub Scott Forrester had three late chance at the other end, but the league’s lowest scorers never seriously looked like adding to Thomas’ first-half strike.

Match facts

York City 0, Grays Athletic 1 (Thomas 26)

City: Michael Ingham 6, Ben Purkiss 7, Danny Parslow 6, David McGurk 7, Mark Robinson 5, Andy McWilliams 8, Mark Greaves 6, Simon Rusk 5, Simon Russell 7, Daniel McBreen 5, Craig Farrell 5.

Substitutions: Adam Smith (for Russell, HT) 6, Adam Boyes (for Robinson, 65) 6, Ben Wilkinson (for Greaves, 65) 5.

Subs not used: Mimms, Kelly.

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: McWilliams – another mature performance from City’s promising teenager, who added long-range shooting to his growing repertoire of qualities in this match.

Grays: David Button, Fabian Wilnis, Jon Ashton, Jamie Stuart, Sam Sloma (Kenny Davis, 78), Barry Cogan, Stuart Thurgood, Andre McCollin, Damien Batt, Jamie Slabber (Scott Forrester, 74), Wesley Thomas.

Subs: Gavin Dayes, Steve Arnold, Luke Hickie.

Yellow cards: Wilnis 41.

Shots on target: York 10, Grays 2

Shots off target: York 11, Grays 4

Corners: York 11, Grays 3

Fouls conceded: York 10, Grays 11

Offsides: York 2, Grays 10

Referee: Robert Madley (Ossett).

Rating: generally okay, although inconsistent with interpretation of fouls on ’keepers. Farrell’s, which went unpunished, was worse than the one McBreen was penalised for when Boyes’ goal was disallowed.

Attendance: 2,154 (41 from Grays).

Miss of the match: Farrell’s failure to hit the target after opting to round Grays ’keeper Button on 23 minutes.

Mistake of the match: Robinson attempting to dribble past Thurgood on the edge of his own penalty box.

City player watch: David McGurk

Goal attempts on target: 1

Goal attempts off target: 0

Blocked goal attempts: 0

Passes to own player: 25

Passes to opposition: 3

Crosses to own player: 0

Crosses to opposition: 1

Pass completion rate: 86.2 per cent

Dribbles ball retained: 1

Dribbles ball lost: 0

Dribble completion rate: 100 per cent

Headers: 30

Tackles: 3

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 4

Fouls won: 0

Fouls conceded: 0

Offsides: 0

Yellow cards: 0

Final summary: City’s trusty centre-back hardly put a foot wrong during a relatively trouble-free afternoon. He won the majority of his aerial battles, as the high headers tally illustrates. McGurk also managed to avoid conceding a single free-kick.