After thumping victories against National League play-off occupants Vanarama, Barnet and Chesterfield, York ended their bank holiday weekend with a humiliating defeat to Yorkshire rivals Halifax at the LNER Community Stadium.
A sublime goal from Millenic Alli along with two clinical finishes from Dieseruvwe meant Halifax picked up a crucial three points in their challenge for survival, with York slipping four places to 17th in the National League table.
York are now just six points clear of Torquay United, who also have a game to go, after Gary Johnson’s side defeated Maidenhead United elsewhere.
Now it makes next Saturday’s game with Torquay all the more important, as Torquay’s wins against York and in their game at hand would see them level on points with City.
Halifax took the lead early on after a sublime finish from Alli, who cut inside his shoulder before producing a fantastic finish into the far corner.
Alex Whittle had York’s biggest chance to level the scores, after Forde sent him on target, but the defender could only fire his shot straight at Sam Johnson between Shaymen’s sticks.
The away team added their second on the counter-attack, after Dieseruvwe had passed on goal before instinctively passing the ball past Whitley.
And the former Salford City and Tranmere Rovers striker finished off the result not long after, after finding himself somehow unmarked in the City box before lifting his header past a stranded Whitley to confirm Halifax with a massive three points.
Morton named a change from the team that defeated Chesterfield 3-1 on Saturday, with the injured Lenell John-Lewis making way for Danny Rowe, who had been ineligible for selection against his parent club on Friday.
Halifax was unchanged for the team that stunned Wrexham with a 3-1 win, but headed into the Yorkshire derby with confidence.
It’s been a good few weeks after all for the Shaymen, who booked their place at Wembley for the Isuzu FA Trophy final, defeated league leaders Wrexham and now have earned bragging rights in Yorkshire’s only derby. in the National League.
It showed in a slow start to the match, when Mani Dieseruvwe took possession on the edge of the box and pulled the trigger, but could only drag the effort away.
City’s first effort came courtesy of Shaq Forde, who struck wide from a tight angle.
Dieseruvwe again found space on the edge of the box and attempted a daring half volley, but his effort sailed wide of Ryan Whitley’s goal.
Halifax were beginning to get more into the game and came close to breaking the tie, when a corner found Jamie Stott in the box and his header forced Mitch Hancox to clear the goal line.
But the pressure would ultimately be rewarded with a fantastic goal from Millenic Alli, who scored his third goal in as many games with a sublime shot from the edge of the box that deflected into the far corner at Whitley’s expense.
City were unable to respond immediately, but threatened again before the half-time break, as Olly Dyson’s hard work allowed the midfielder to hit the head of Alex Hurst, whose low header was caught by Sam Johnson.
From the resulting break, Halifax came close to doubling their lead after Jamie Cooke beat Whitley to an open net, but Adam Crookes was on hand to clear the line.
Hurst would have one more chance before the half-time whistle, evading three challenges before narrowly hitting the ball over Johnson’s crossbar.
Heading into the second half, the game went into immediate action when Alli sent a smart pass to Cappello, but he missed his shot and slammed the ball over the crossbar.
City had a chance to start the 45th second with an equalizer after a lovely pass from Forde to send Alex Whittle up behind, but his shot was too tame and Johnson was able to stifle the try.
Halifax had a chance for a free kick in an attractive position, but Alli was unable to provide the same magic as he had earlier and slammed straight into the wall.
And since the Minstermen failed to mount much of a challenge, Halifax doubled their lead.
Some poor defending saw Halifax break through more attackers than City’s current defenders, before Cooke passed the ball to Dieseruvwe to coolly blast his way towards goal and hammer the ball past the defenseless Whittle.
And just eight minutes later, Halifax sealed the match with their third, again with Dieseruvwe delivering the finishing blow.
Jamie Cooke handed possession to Harvey Gilmour in the middle and, with no relative pressure, delicately slotted the ball into the box to find an unmarked Dieseruvwe, who calmly nodded the ball past Whitley.
York’s afternoon was summed up in the 89th minute through Duku, whose free kick on the edge of the box nearly cleared the south stand amid groans on the ground, in a game Morton and his City will quickly want to forget ahead of their matchup. last three games of the National League season.
Elsewhere, Scunthorpe Untied had their fate sealed, after a 2-0 loss to Oldham Athletic, meaning the Iron will now play in the Vanarama National League North next season.
York City: Whitley 5, Hurst 6 (Duku 5, 60), Duckworth 5, Ellis 5, Crookes 6, Whittle 6, McLaughlin 6, Dyson 7, Hancox 6 (Mafuta 80), Forde 6, Rowe 5 (Kouhyar 6, 70)
Unused Subs: Campbell, Kouogun
FC Halifax Town: Johnson, Golden (Warburton, 72), Stott, A. Senior, J. Senior, Hunter, Cooke, Alli (O’Rouke, 76), Cappello, Gilmour (Keane, 85), Dieseruvwe
Substitutes: Arthur, Harker
Goals: Alli (24), Dieseruvwe (62, 70)
York’s Star Man: Olly Dyson. There were no real standout players for City this afternoon, but Dyson pushed hard and created a good chance for Alex Hurst. He kept running, got stuck when he could
Assistance: 6251 (649)
Referee: Aaron Banister
Shots (on target): 4 (2) | 3 (6)
Corners: 3 | 3
Offside: 0 | 1
Fouls committed: 11 | 8