'Right place, right time' for Marvin Armstrong as City star lauds win
IT was ‘right place, right time’ for Marvin Armstrong as the midfielder scored his fourth goal of the season for York City.
Armstrong pounced on Dipo Akinyemi’s header from a corner to direct the ball home from within the six-yard area, providing York with the only and winning goal in their 1-0 victory over Gateshead on New Year’s Day.
Another three points and a clean sheet saw City return to the top of the National League as Barnet dropped points, with Adam Hinshelwood’s side starting 2025 in a strong fashion.
It was a match to be happy with for Armstrong too after a man-of-the-match performance, with the midfielder pleased with how he and his teammates combatted a quick passing and admittedly impressive Gateshead outfit.
“They have a lot of weapons and are all really relaxed on the ball, they have a lot of different combinations and plans of how to play when you press,” Armstrong told BBC York.
“They’ve got speed in their attacking frontline and have so many weapons, it was one of our tougher games.
“I thought that we contained them for the majority but at times they did play out of the pressure and dominated in periods.
“We just stuck together as a team and worked hard.
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“You’re always happy with a win, we did have chances but as much as they could dominate I don’t say that they created much big chances.
“They had one in the first-half but we had the more clear cut chances.
“Obviously the ball I put through to Ollie [Pearce], Lenny [Lenell John-Lewis] in behind, so yeah I think we’ll be gutted to not score more, but be happy with the result.
“To start the year in this position is great, obviously nothing is decided at this time of year and we just have to keep chipping away and take it one game at a time.
“I think it helps that you’ve got 7,000 fans behind you pushing you on.
“We’ve made it a fortress and I think we’ve only lost once here.
“We’ve got to keep chipping away, there are other top sides in our division and we’re a top side, we just need to keep chipping away game by game and see where we’re at by the end of it.”
Scoring has been an area of Armstrong’s game that he has been told to improve on by manager Hinshelwood, who was also the boss of the midfielder during a stint together at Worthing.
Therefore Armstrong was delighted to add his name to the scoresheet on a day where City’s strikers admittedly didn’t have their usual impact, with the single goal of the match coming again from a corner kick.
He added: “It’s something that when I first came in, the gaffer told me to work on.
Marvin Armstrong celebrates scoring the winner for York City over Gateshead. (Image: Tom Poole) “I have worked on it as much as I can, so I’m most happy when I can get one and help the team.
“It was a tap in but it’s all about being in the right areas.
“It’s all about being in the right area and it was an instinctual finish, in the right place, right time.”
York are guaranteed to keep first position in the National League until at least next Wednesday, when Forest Green Rovers host Dagenham & Redbridge, due to the FA Trophy fourth round taking place this coming weekend.
City will look to continue their progress in the competition with a visit to Northern Premier League side Gainsborough Trinity (3pm), with the FA Trophy being an opportunity for silverware this season.
“It’s another trophy and is as much silverware as we can potentially get and go for.
“We’re not going give something less attention than another because it all means something.”
