GLS Conference Cup 3rd Round

JOHN Coleman said that keeper Jon Kennedy was willing Lee McEvilly's last ditch strike into the back of the net so he didn't have to come on for the penalty drama.

And the watching Stanley fans who knew how much a victory meant to the club as a whole - as well being keen to get out of the cold - they were also praying that McEvilly's 121st minute effort was goalbound - and it worked.

The Conference Cup has got higher on the agenda as other cups have fallen by the way-side for the Reds and it showed how important it was to the players as they put in an improved performance in the third round against York on Tuesday.

City did dig in and defended well but when McEvilly got on the end of a Rory Prendergast ball out of defence and charged into the area with penalties looming there was only one place it was going to end.

"Lee deserved it," said Coleman as his hitman celebrated his 11th goal of the season. "Jon was getting ready to come on for the penalties and he said he willed the ball into the net to save him the trouble.

"But it was what we deserved. We were thinking there was a forcefield on the goal again and that the ball wasn't going to go over the line but the lads kept going.

"I think we played quite well and if we had won by three or four it wouldn't have flattered us.

"It was good to ge the confidence back with a win and the fact we came from behind. We have been edgey in some game but things dropped for us tonight when they didn't on Saturday and we kept possession better.

"Lee was man of the match in my book. He led the line superbly and he was a handful. He could have had a couple more and they found him difficult. We played well and there one or two special moment."

But these came after York had shocked Stanley by rushing into an early lead. Kevin Donovan played in an accurate ball from the right wing and Andy Bishop, with his back to goal, found the back of the net on 10 minutes. Coleman was furious as the linesman had signalled for a Stanley throw-in but the referee had given a York free kick which eventually led to the goal.

After that, though, the Reds dominated. Peter Cavanagh almost put McEvilly through but the keeper got there first, the Reds striker volleyed wide and another McEvilly header was cleared off the line.

McEvilly was dominating things up front with Rory Prendergast a constant menace on the left and York struggled to cope with the pair.

And they finally found a way through on 34 minutes when one of the balls into the box was finally rewarded with Paul Mullin setting up defender Jonathan Smith who fired home his third of the season.

And then Ian Craney came close to scoring what Coleman billed "would have been the goal of the century" when the midfielder had the vision, 40 yards from goal, to see keeper Chris Porter off his line and tried to chip him. The goalie raced back but Craney's effort bounced on the top of the net - he was just inches off a wonder goal.

"For Ian to win the ball and see that so early is different class," enthused Coleman.

But York almost scored a stunner of their own just after the break when a Darren Dunning free kick was heading for the top corner before Danny Alcock - in for Paul Crichton who didn't face his former club - superbly kept it out.

But Stanley looked dangerous every time they went forward. Andy Procter's shot was easy for the keeper while Mullin was dragged down by York captain Paul Groves just outside the area but nothing was given as the crucial second goal continued to elude the Reds.

Robbie Williams played a great ball over the top for McEvilly on 78 minutes and, although he was flanked by three defenders, the hitman got a shot in but it was wide.

In a lively finale to normal time, Smith could have spared Stanley's legs on 88 minutes when a Prendergast ball in found the towering defender six yards out but Porter was in the right place to keep him out. And sub Paul Robinson could have won it for York on 90 minutes but his left foot effort was just wide of Alcock's goal.

The Stanley fans, though, were wishing McEvilly could have found his finishing touch in the third minute of injury time in normal time. Prendergast's high ball in found the head of the unmarked striker but, with the goal at his mercy, he thumped it over.

In extra-time, the Reds again came close to sealing it when Craney's shot was cleared off the line. Then, on 102 minutes, Craney's strike was deflected, it wrong footed the keeper, and almost fell nicely for Mullin but Porter somehow recovered and it bounced out to safety.

Then Paul Howarth came on and almost became an instant hero but he shot into Porter's hands.

Penalties loomed but City had one more chance to snatch the win on 120 minutes. Paul Robinson raced down the centre and was one-on-one with Alcock but the Stanley keeper charged out and got their first.

Then, York lost the ball in the area and it came out to Prendergast. He played the perfect ball for McEvilly to run onto. The striker still had a lot to do with three defenders round him but he held them off and finished low into the bottom of the net to celebrate a much-needed victory.