York City’s defence rules supreme against Kidderminster in the battle to avoid relegation

Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Kidderminster meant Martin Foyle’s men had conceded just one goal during their last five league matches – form that has contrived to keep David McGurk on the sidelines.

In that time, though, the Minstermen have only managed one victory – the 2-0 home win over troubled Weymouth.

As Foyle has rightly pointed out, there is no shame in holding play-off contenders Kettering and Kidderminster to successive goal-less stalemates considering his squad’s limitations this season.

A similar result against high-flying Stevenage, in tomorrow night’s dress rehearsal for the FA Trophy final, would also be regarded as a welcome point.

Come Saturday’s trip to Grays Athletic and subsequent fixtures at Barrow and Weymouth, though, City must demonstrate an ability to win games and score goals.

Anything other than three points against bottom two Northwich and Lewes, meanwhile, is also inconceivable.

Flooding the middle of the park with Levi Mackin, Andy McWilliams and Simon Rusk has certainly helped combat the superior creative talents of Kettering and Kidderminster, who were always going to prove troublesome to breach having now completed ten-and-a-half hours of football without conceding a goal.

Nevertheless, Saturday’s 4-3-3 formation meant selfless, top scorer Richard Brodie was often marooned on the left wing and the pace of the recalled Onome Sodje presented less of a threat down the flanks than it might have done through the middle.

If draws are to be turned into wins, City might need to be less cautious in midfield against the division’s lesser sides.

Only Swansea (19) have now shared the spoils in more professional league games than the Minstermen (16) this season.

Of greater concern, however, is the fact that City have now won just three of their last 21 Blue Square Premier fixtures – against lowly trio Ebbsfleet, Lewes and Weymouth.

On Saturday, Kidderminster striker Matthew Barnes-Homer came closest to clinching maximum points with the game’s first shot.

His ninth-minute effort, following a slick, one-touch move from the visitors, rebounded back off Michael Ingham’s right-hand post and into the arms of the grateful City goalkeeper.

Ingham was also forced into a low save from Daryl Knights’ sidefooted 12-yard attempt on 18 minutes.

Seconds later, City threatened for the first time but Daniel McBreen’s flashing 20-yard drive finished well wide of Adam Bartlett’s goal.

At the other end, Russell Penn’s volley narrowly missed the target after he lifted the ball over Simon Rusk’s head on the edge of the penalty box.

A wind-assisted punt by Ingham, headed on by McBreen, then saw Sodje steal in behind the visitors’ defence only for an alert Bartlett to race off his line and smother the stretching City striker’s toe-poked finish.

The half ended when Craig Armstrong curled a free-kick over Ingham’s bar after a rash challenge 20 yards from goal by Andy McWilliams earned the City midfielder a yellow card.

On 56 minutes, Knights had the ball in the net but his effort was correctly disallowed for offside while referee Andy Halliday remained unmoved as City claimed handball after McBreen’s header from an inswinging McWilliams free-kick was blocked.

Sodje’s 25-yard shot on the turn was then held by Bartlett but Ingham was forced into a scrambled near-post save on 66 minutes after Penn had met a deep right-wing cross from Martin Brittain.

City forced their first – and only – corner of the match on 74 minutes and Sodje headed against the roof of the David Longhurst Stand from a Levi Mackin cross shortly afterwards.

Substitute Simon Brown’s half-volley was saved low to his left late on by Bartlett before Kidderminster missed a great opportunity to snatch maximum points in stoppage-time.

Mark Robinson’s sliding challenge led to a free-kick on the right flank and former Newcastle winger Brittain, one of the division’s more reliable crossers, swung the ball on to Keith Lowe’s head but he cleared the bar from three yards.

Match facts

York City 0, Kidderminster 0

York City: Michael Ingham 7, Ben Purkiss 7, Shaun Pejic 7, Danny Parslow 8, Mark Robinson 7, Levi Mackin 8, Andy McWilliams 7, Simon Rusk 6, Richard Brodie 6, Onome Sodje 7, Daniel McBreen 6.

Substitutions: Mark Greaves (for Rusk, 69) 6, Simon Brown (for McBreen, 85), David McGurk (for Mackin, 90).

Subs not used: Russell, Boyes.

Key: 10 – Faultless; 9 – Outstanding; 8 – Excellent; 7 – Good; 6 – Average; 5 – Below par; 4 – Poor; 3 – Dud; 2 – Hopeless; 1 – Retire

City’s star man: Parslow – leading by example since being handed the captaincy.

Kidderminster: Adam Bartlett, Keith Lowe, Mark Creighton, Martin Riley, Craig Armstrong, Chris McPhee, Dean Bennett, Daryl Knights (Martin Brittain, 65), Russell Penn (Brian Smikle, 74), Justin Richards, Matthew Barnes-Homer.

Subs not used: Luke Jones, Stefan Moore, Michael Carr.

Bookings: Armstrong 24, Brodie 30, McWilliams 45, Mackin 58, Bennett 59, McPhee 82, Brown 85.

Shots on target: York 3, Kidderminster 3

Shots off target: York 2, Kidderminster 7

Corners: York 1, Kidderminster 5

Fouls conceded: York 10, Kidderminster 18

Offsides: York 2, Kidderminster 4

Referee: Andrew Halliday (Catterick)

Rating: erratic and over-zealous with some of his bookings.

Attendance: 3,384 (171 from Kidderminster).

Move of the match: The swift interplay that saw Barnes-Homer rattle Ingham’s post early on.

Miss of the match: Lowe’s misdirected, stoppage-time header from another Brittain cross was a big let-off for City.

Player watch: Onome Sodje

Goal attempts on target: 2

Goal attempts off target: 1

Blocked goal attempts: 0

Passes to own player: 19

Passes to opposition: 6

Crosses to own player: 0

Crosses to opposition: 2

Pass completion rate: 70.4 per cent

Dribbles ball retained: 3

Dribbles ball lost: 3

Dribble completion rate: 50 per cent

Headers: 3

Tackles: 0

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 1

Fouls won: 5

Fouls conceded: 1

Offsides: 0

Yellow cards: 0

Final summary: Sodje was full of running on his return to the City starting line-up and was responsible for three of his side’s five attempts on goal.

He came closest when he raced on to a McBreen flick, giving a reminder of how his pace can hurt teams. He only headed the ball three times in 90 minutes but posed the visiting defence plenty of questions, as is illustrated by the five-free kicks he won for his team.