“Keep
it tight for the first 10 lads”
These
will have been the words of U’s gaffer Chris Wilder as his side
left the dressing room for the pitch at Bootham Crescent. He wouldn’t
have been banking on Ryan Clarke to not deal with a Patrick
McLaughlin shot, Michael Coulson eventually profiteering from
Clarke’s error to give York the lead with only 20 seconds played.
To
be fair to United, they didn’t go into their shell, Sean Rigg went
close with a curling effort before seeing a shot deflected onto the
crossbar, Alfie Potter shot wide and Deane Smalley saw a couple of
efforts blocked. Sometimes in football, you get the feeling it’s
not going to be your day; the early goal and Rigg’s effort against
the crossbar had given this indication but it was to be further
enhanced after only 12 minutes. Smalley saw another shot blocked by a
York hand and the referee duly awarded a penalty. Smalley stepped up
but saw his weak shot pushed away by City goalkeeper Michael Ingham.
It was to get worse, fine play between Ashley Chambers and Patrick
McLaughlin saw Chambers released into space to fire past Clarke and
double the home side’s lead.
Despite
the two goal deficit, United continued to attack and eventually got a
reward for their efforts, Adam Chapman’s corner was headed away by
Danny Parslow but only onto McLaughlin and into the back of the net.
A scrappy goal but perhaps the catalyst Oxford needed to get back
into the game. It wasn’t to be before half time. Smalley had
another golden chance but saw his point blank shot hit Ingham and
bounced away to safety.
The
game was ended as a contest after 54 minutes, Michael Raynes tried
one trick too many on the edge of his own box and lost the ball to
Jason Walker who fed McLaughlin who found Clarke’s bottom corner to
make it 3-1. United huffed and puffed in the midfield but had no joy
as York took a stranglehold on the game in the final 20 minutes. The
impressive McLaughlin and former Swindon man Jonathan Smith began to
zip the ball about in attempts to release substitute Matty Blair
against a tiring United backline.
There
was one more chance for Oxford, James Constable on as a sub, hit a
volley across the face of goal and wide but the damage had been done
in the first half. So United return from two trips to Yorkshire this
week without anything to show for their efforts. As on Tuesday
against Leeds, the final scoreline was perhaps harsh on Chris
Wilder’s men but they must learn to be more clinical if they are to
have any impact at the top of League Two.
A
test against Paolo Di Canio’s Swindon in the JPT on Wednesday is a
distraction many Oxford fans are looking forward to but the real hard
work continues next Saturday as United welcome Exeter City to the
Kassam.
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