Blue Square Bet Premier Promotion Final

20/05/2012

Blue Square Bet Premier Play Off Final

Luton Town 1-2 York City

York City will be playing their football in League Two next season after they edged Luton Town in their Blue Square Bet Premier play-off final on Sunday.

The Hatters took the lead just moments after the kick-off through Andre Gray, but Ashley Chambers and Matty Blair replied either side of the half to hand City the vital win.

Luton got off to the perfect start at Wembley and opened the scoring after just two minutes, George Pilkington starting the move before picking out Robbie Willmott, who in turn cut the ball back for Gray to smartly tuck home in off the up-right.

Town continued to press after the opener, with Alex Lawless firing just wide from 25 yards out, before Adam Watkins created his own opportunity, picking up a loose ball and getting past his marker only to shoot wide of the mark.

Mark Tyler was soon called into action for Paul Buckle's men, with the goalkeeper doing brilliantly to just claw Jason Walker's goal-bound header over the crossbar.

Midway through the first half the Minstermen did manage an equaliser, the Town defence failing to clear their lines, allowing Chris Smith to just nip in and deliver into the area where Chambers was on hand to smash the ball into the roof of the net.

York started the second half the same way their opponents had the first, with Gary Mills' men needing just two minutes after the restart to take the lead, albeit in highly controversial circumstances.

Blair managed to get on the end of a flick-on before tucking the ball past Tyler, but the striker was a good yard off-side, although the linesman somehow managed to miss it.

Midway through the second period and Gray created a great chance for the Hatters, bursting into the area before clipping his shot over to an unmarked McAllister, but he couldn't properly direct his shot and fired wide.

Two minutes later and Gray looked for all the world to have found an equaliser, but he inexplicably mis-kicked twice from six yards out with the entire goal at his mercy.

Buckle's men continued to press for the vital leveller, and John Paul Kissock had a golden chance to do just that nine minutes from time, but he couldn't get any contact on the ball after Osano had fumbled an attempted save.

City were able to hang on for the win though and will return to the Football League for the first time in eight years, while Town will have to contest another season in the Blue Square Bet Premier.

Luton bookings: Lawless.

York bookings: Gibson.

Ref: Jeremy Simpson.

Att: 39,265.