Fletcher brace beats Tranmere

Two goals from Wes Fletcher earned York three valuable points against fellow basement side Tranmere in a 2-0 win at Bootham Crescent.

Fletcher scored from close range in the first half and from 18 yards after the break against a Tranmere side who did not have a meaningful effort on target. York captain Russell Penn saw his shot from the edge of the area blocked as the home side started to get on top after an even opening period. Fletcher won a free-kick on the edge of the Tranmere area and when Michael Coulson's effort hit the wall, the ball was collected by Bradley Halliday, who fired low across the area and Fletcher steered the ball home at the far post to give York the lead with 20 minutes gone. Fletcher was denied a second when he turned on Josh Carson's low ball but saw his shot strike goalkeeper Owain Fon Williams on the left foot. The Tranmere keeper had to dive low to his right to push Coulson's low shot around the post in first-half stoppage time too. Fletcher scored his second just before the hour when he chased a ball from Coulson down the right channel, cut inside and ran across the edge of the area before firing left-footed into the bottom-left corner of the goal. Carson saw another shot beaten away by Fon Williams, who then caught the follow-up from Coulson. Another Carson effort also hit the outside of the post and Fon Williams saved from Halliday as York pushed for a third. That goal did not come but the home side were worthy of three important points in their fight against relegation.