Six games without a win for York City, five of which have been lost, after latest opponents Salisbury City completed a league double over them at Bootham Crescent.

Djoumin Sangare actually earned the home side the lead against his former club just before the break, but the visitors replied with two goals from their only three attempts on target early in the second-half - to hammer a further nail into their opponents'  seemingly diminishing play-off hopes.

French-born defender Sangare was earlier included at the expense of the injured David McGurk, while Danny Parslow and Levi Mackin were both relegated to the bench, with Michael Rankine and Jamie Clarke recalled to the starting line-up. Top scorer Richard Brodie was passed fit and goalkeeper Michael Ingham (inset) took over the captain's armband.

And Brodie proceeded to take a hefty knock inside the first twenty seconds when challenging goalkeeper James Bittner and Sean Clohessy. The Gateshead-born marksman quickly recovered, but his team-mate Chris Carruthers was less fortunate and soon had to leave the pitch and be replaced by Courtney Pitt, who delivered a first corner on twelve minutes that was eventually dealt with.

The York fans were then incensed as Clohessy burst towards the area before going down weakly under the challenge of Brodie, who, only just back from a three-match suspension, received another highly dubious booking. Reece Connolly sliced well wide on-the-turn following a corner moments later.

Salisbury received their first caution on the half-hour after Jamie Turley took out Rankine before Brodie had a right-footed shot superbly diverted behind by Bittner. Brodie almost turned supplier shortly afterwards with an inviting cut back that only narrowly evaded Rankine. But hesitant defending at the home end then witnessed the ball fortuitously looping towards Ingham following an effort from Stuart Anderson.

However, just before the interval York received the break they needed. Substitute Pitt was adjudged to have been taken down on the angle of the area and Neil Barrett whipped over a well-struck free-kick that was headed in by ex-Salisbury centre-back Sangare.

Rankine soon delivered another cross straight down Bittner's throat before danger-man Brodie was felled by a high foot by the already cautioned, but on this occasion unpunished, Turley. Rankine also tried an audacious lob during added time at the end of the first-half.  

The Minstermen were attacking towards their favoured 'home' end during the second period. Anderson had a tame early attempt for the visitors that was easily taken care of by Ingham before their opponents responded with Ben Purkiss' through ball releasing Rankine, who took it wide of the keeper before his cross-shot was cleared off the line. Brodie also had a shot blocked.

Salisbury were, though, level moments later when Connolly was allowed space to turn sharply onto a Clohessy cross and rifle a superb finish into the top corner from the edge of the area. York tried to respond immediately as Richard Pacquette crossed and Pitt attempted a flying header over the crossbar, while Brodie was found one-on-one with the keeper before being denied by a desperate covering challenge.

And then more disaster struck the hosts midway through the second-half. Neat interchange from the visitors during a quick break ended with Darrell Clarke driving a shot across Ingham and into the net. York manager Martin Foyle reacted with a double substitution as Adam Smith and Michael Gash took over from Pacquette and Rankine.

Home striker Brodie soon had a shot blocked, although his side were struggling to create anything that hinted at a genuine revival until the same player headed James Meredith's cross over the bar with seven minutes remaining. But York were already looking a really deflated side. However, substitute Smith offered some late hope as he skipped down the right and won a corner from which he had a shot blocked before fellow replacement Pitt crossed for Luke Graham to head straight at Bittner.

Salisbury goalscorer Connolly then tried a shot that went behind at the opposite end before three minutes of added time were signalled, during which Brodie had a couple of efforts blocked for the increasingly desperate hosts and Pitt went down without reward in the area.