YORK v FLEETWOOD – Pick: 1 AH0 – 10 May 2014

Minstermen momentum could edge first leg

League One/Two Tips

Football – England – League Two Play-Off Semi Final 1st Leg

Saturday 10th May – Kickoff:  1930hrs

York City will be looking to post a first leg win when they entertain Fleetwood Town at Bootham Crescent on Saturday evening as they bid for a second promotion in three seasons.

What a difference a season (or two) makes – this time two years ago, York City were making their way back into league football via the Conference play-offs under then manager Gary Mills, which was then followed by a season of consolidation in League Two. Mills has since departed but York’s tenacity has continued into this campaign and they now find themselves in the play-offs for promotion up to League One.

It’s been a fantastic run of seventeen league matches unbeaten under incumbent manager Nigel Worthington which includes eleven wins, most notably, victory over tonight’s opponents Fleetwood Town 2-1 away back in early February which marked the beginning of this run for The Minstermen, as well as wins over Oxford United, Mansfield Town and Portsmouth.

York’s final overall home record finished up on a solid  10-9-4  23/15 which includes no fewer than thirteen (13) clean sheets, such is the influence of former defender Worthington. In addition, York improved their home form against top half sides to  3-5-3  10/9, with possible anytime goalscorers of Fletcher (10 goals), Bowman and Jarvis (8 goals apiece) and Coulson (7 goals, 4 assists).

Visitors Fleetwood Town themselves have had a cracking season as they finished in fourth place five points behind promoted Rochdale in third, but The Cod Army have made definite steps towards promotion up to League One as they finished last season in a comfortable mid-table position.

Prior to their visit to Chesterfield on the last day of the season last weekend, Fleetwood had strung together a seven match unbeaten run but that all came to an abrupt end as The Spireites clinched the League Two title with a 2-1 win and second placed Scunthorpe United were held to a 2-2 draw by tonight’s opponents York City at Glanford Park.

Fleetwood finished up with an overall away record of  11-4-8  25/22 which was second only to Chesterfield in the division, but they had only won three of their last ten in the run in to the season. That said, they recorded an away record of  6-2-3  16/10 at top half opposition, so they are certainly one of the favourites of the four teams fighting it out for a place in League One next season.

I have to take my proverbial hat off to Nigel Worthington though as he’s been instrumental in York’s amazing turnaround since the turn of the year where they were in 20th place just two points above the bottom three – I believe team confidence and momentum play a huge part in success in these play-offs and whilst York may not win tonight, I’ll recommend the round ball which is still attractively priced. York may shade this one 1-0 perhaps.

Pick:  York City AH0 @ 1.87 Pinnacle