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John Askey hopes York City's promotion gives 'a new start to this football club'

York City supporters celebrate Lenell John-Lewis' opener. Picture: Tom Poole
York City supporters celebrate Lenell John-Lewis' opener. Picture: Tom Poole

JOHN ASKEY says he hopes York City’s promotion to the Vanarama National League will provide “a new start for this football club.”

York ended their five-season stay in the National League North by beating Boston United 2-0 in the play-off final.

City’s victory finally brings to a close the club’s dwelling in regional football and gives its supporters something to cheer about after the back-to-back relegations of 2016 and 2017.

“I know how much it means to this football club,” said manager Askey.

“Although I never had any links to the club before, I know how important it is to get to a level where we make the club feel proud again.

“It’s been a fantastic turnout and it’s been a fantastic day. I just hope everyone can enjoy this now.

“To do it in the centenary year and in the new ground, hopefully this is a new start for the football club.

“It couldn’t have been timed any better.”

Lenell John-Lewis scored City's opener on five minutes before Maziar Kouhyar secured the win with five minutes to go.

“I thought we started the game well,” Askey added. “These sorts of games are never going to be a great spectacle but it’s the atmosphere that makes it.

“We’re just thankful that we got the goal when we did early on and the players in the second half showed their fitness.

“It’s just so pleasing and I can’t believe it’s happened.

“Over the season, you get what you deserve. I’m really pleased that a football club like this is back to somewhere it should be.”

In-form striker John-Lewis had been appeared unlikely to play when Askey spoke pre-match about his thigh injury.

However the manager revealed: “We always knew from Monday onwards that he would be playing.

“He got his goal early on and you could see that that kept him going. In the second half, he was virtually playing on one leg.

“But we couldn’t bring him or Clayton (Donaldson) off, no matter how tired they looked because of their physical strength.”

Askey continued on Donaldson, whose tireless work teed up Kouhyar’s strike: “Every time Clayts had it, he’s tried to get the ball down and play. That’s where the second goal came from.

“The message at half time was to play more. We were making too many balls ‘fight balls’ from throw-ins and dead-ball situations instead of just playing, which is obviously easier said than done.

“The only thing that mattered today was the result. Thankfully we got it.”