MUCH better.

If only York City had shown this kind of determination at Grays Athletic on Saturday, maybe they wouldn’t now be sitting in the Blue Square Premier’s bottom four.

Meek and without spirit, the Minstermen capitulated in the south but, against one of the league’s form sides last night, they played with a verve and vigour they have not exhibited for some time.

And had Billy Turley not been in the Oxford United goal, Martin Foyle’s men might have had three points to show for it as well.

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Turley was Onome Sodje’s, and City’s, chief tormentor.

The former Ebbsfleet striker was sharp and at his dangerous best, but found the Oxford number one too big an obstacle to crack – particularly from the penalty spot.

Twelve yards might not seem a lot, but it proved too big a distance for Sodje to give City a vital advantage half-way through the first half.

Daniel McBreen’s cross cannoned off Damien Batt and referee Richard West immediately pointed to the spot.

It might have been a little harsh on Batt but, for a York side who have failed to find the goal in their last four games, it was the perfect opportunity.

Sodje had no hesitation in immediately picking up the ball but, when push came to shove, his shot couldn’t beat Turley, who parried the ball back into the area.

Christian Smith’s rebound was blocked and Daniel McBreen fired over with a venomous effort – ensuring the barren spell was to go on.

Sodje, who has played a peripheral part at times this season, deserved credit for not allowing his head to drop.

And his pace and power caused Oxford’s centre-back pairing of former City loanee Luke Foster and Chris Willmott all kinds of difficulties.

He forced another smart save from Turley a minute before the break and the goalkeeper was again in action before half-time – turning round a low effort from Christian Smith.

Foyle had asked for fight and heart after Grays and he got it as Mark Greaves and Smith led from the front.

Oxford, on the other hand, offered little and Michael Ingham needed to be alert only once in the first period when tipping away Simon Clist’s curling shot on 17 minutes after a back-heel from Adam Murray created an opening.

You began to get the sense it might be another frustrating 90 minutes in front of goal when Sodje lifted a shot into the side netting four minutes after the break, after Mark Robinson’s cross had been flicked on by Danny Parslow.

And when Turley made a fabulous instinctive save, reaching out one-handed to palm out a snap shot from McBreen, the writing was on the wall.

But last night’s 11 continued to plug away and they repeatedly forced their play-off hunting opponents onto the back foot.

Chances for Oxford were fleeting, but Ingham was lucky to be in the right place at the right time when Adam Chapman fired a stinging volley straight at him with quarter of an hour remaining.

Foyle introduced Steven Hogg on 84 minutes and, after all those injury-plagued months, he nearly proved the match-winner when striking goalwards after Foster slipped and Adam Boyes produced a sparkling flick.

Hogg wasn’t the hero, but he was so nearly the villain.

With three minutes of added on time rapidly running out, he conceded a needless free-kick and then got booked for extra measure for kicking the ball away.

Oxford fired in the set-piece and James Constable, who had barely had a sight of goal to that point, executed a clever turn before firing a vicious shot onto the crossbar.

Losing with the last kick of the match would have been really harsh on City and, having deserved little luck in recent displays, maybe this gutsy performance can be the turning point towards Blue Square Premier survival.


Match facts

York City 0, Oxford United 0

City: Michael Ingham 7, Shaun Pejic 7, David McGurk 7, Danny Parslow 7, Mark Robinson 7, Christian Smith 7, Mark Greaves 8, Simon Brown 7, Adam Boyes 7, Onome Sodje 7, Daniel McBreen 7.

Substitutions: Adam Smith (for Sodje, 77) 6, Steven Hogg (for Greaves, 84).

Subs not used: Purkiss, McWilliams, Russell.

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: Mark Greaves – solid and a threat in the box, Greaves provided the steel in what was City’s best display in a while.


Oxford United: Billy Turley, Damien Batt, Chris Willmott, Luke Foster, Kevin Sandwith, Lewis Haldane, Simon Clist (Eddie Hutchinson 86), Adam Chapman, Craig Nelthorpe (Yemi Odubade 56), Adam Murray, James Constable.

Subs not used: Matt Day, Chris Carruthers, Ben Hinchcliffe.


Bookings: Murray 25, Chapman 25, Brown 32, Smith 72, Batt 82, Hogg 93.

Shots on target: York 6, Oxford 3

Shots off target: York 8, Oxford 1

Corners: York 2, Oxford 4

Offsides: York 2, Oxford 2

Fouls: York 14, Oxford 10

Referee: Richard West (Beverley).

Rating: A little pedantic and may have been kind to City with the penalty.

Attendance: 2,268.

Save of the match: Or should we say saves? Billy Turley produced a series of top class stops to keep Oxford in this match. The penalty was the pick.

Miss of the match: Not the penalty, but Sodje’s clip into the side netting when picked out from Danny Parslow’s flick-on.


City player watch: Mark Greaves

Shots on target: 0

Shots off target: 1

Passes to team-mate: 4

Passes to opposition: 0

Pass completion rate: 100 per cent

Dribbles, ball retained: 1

Dribbles, ball lost: 0

Dribble success rate: 100 per cent

Crosses to team-mate: 0

Crosses to opposition: 1

Tackles: 2

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 7

Headers: 10

Fouls won: 0

Fouls conceded: 0

Overall summary: A commanding display from the former skipper on his return to the first team.

Always good in the air, Greaves provided valuable protection to the defence while proving a constant danger at corners, set pieces and throw-ins.