NIGEL Worthington insisted his team were not playing for draws after York City shared the spoils for a fifth successive game at Accrington Stanley.

Honours have also now ended even in eight of the Minstermen’s last ten winless matches but City chief Worthington declared that he is not placing a priority on avoiding defeat over claiming maximum points from fixtures.

The Minstermen went ahead at the Crown Ground when Wes Fletcher grabbed his eighth goal of the season from the penalty spot on 35 minutes.

But Stanley levelled through George Bowerman in stoppage time, meaning City have now surrendered 16 points from winning positions this term.

On his team’s current form, Worthington said: “We want to win every game and we are setting out to do that. Hopefully, it will come but all the clubs at this level are fighting for their lives and not giving much away -- like ourselves.

“We probably did not play as well as we have been doing at Accrington and they have been on a good run so it was good to pick up a point. We have been playing well and getting points instead of all three but, if we take out on to the pitch what we are working on at the training ground, we will get there and the good side of things is we are not getting beaten.”

City conceded after giving away possession as the interval loomed and that irritated Worthington, who added: “I think Luke O’Neill lost the ball three-quarters of the way up the pitch when we should have been looking to make them turn towards their own goal.”

The Minstermen chief reserved his biggest praise, meanwhile, for the 717-strong contingent of travelling fans, who made up more than a third of the Boxing Day attendance.

 

League Two review

Oxford United spurned the chance to move top of Sky Bet League Two as Reuben Reid’s brace claimed a win for Plymouth.

Chesterfield could only draw 1-1 at home with ten-man Hartlepool, Tendai Darikwa’s goal for the leaders cancelled out by Matthew Dolan’s penalty before Pools had Andy Monkhouse sent off.

Victory would have taken Oxford top, but Plymouth pulled off a last-gasp 3-2 victory at the Kassam Stadium.

Reid’s late seven-minute brace included a penalty, adding to Caolan Lavery’s strike.

Asa Hall and an own goal from Curtis Nelson had Oxford hopeful of snatching a late draw, but Plymouth held out.

Scunthorpe were another side who wasted a chance to move to the top of the pile, only able to draw 2-2 at lowly Bury, who host York City on Sunday.

Striker Sam Winnall’s double put Scunthorpe on top but he collected a second yellow card for his celebrations after his second goal, and Chris Sedgwick and Daniel Nardiello drew the hosts level.

Burton Albion had no such trouble against Northampton, Ian Sharps notching the winning goal in the 85th minute for a 1-0 victory that kept his side fourth.

Michael Flynn’s goal handed Newport a 1-0 win at Wycombe while Cauley Woodrow fired Southend to 1-0 victory at AFC Wimbledon, who had George Francomb sent off just before half-time.

Two goals from Scott Hogan and another from Matthew Lund helped Rochdale see off Mansfield 3-0 and move up to seventh in the table.

Fleetwood slipped out of the play-off places after a 1-0 loss at Morecambe, Padraig Amond firing the winner for the hosts.

Striker Jamie Cureton claimed the only goal in Cheltenham’s 1-0 home victory over Exeter while Romain Padovani’s goal was enough for Portsmouth to beat Dagenham and Redbridge 1-0.

Paying tribute to his team’s supporters, Worthington said: “It was a fantastic effort from the York supporters and very much appreciated.

“It was great for them to come and give up their time to support us and, while it was not our best performance over 90 minutes in the last month or so, they at least got a gritty performance from the
players.”