Five Things We Learned from York City's 1-1 draw at Woking

Amid all the understandable distress caused by the club’s situation and intense disappointment that this group of players have slipped back into the bottom four after clawing their way out of the drop zone, it is worth reflecting that Mills’ team were just one conceded penalty away from equalling a club record, set by the current manager during the historic 2011/12 campaign, of concluding a league season with four consecutive away wins. In fact, the Minstermen have only lost one of their last 14 fixtures on the road and won six, following a run of 35 victory-free matches outside of North Yorkshire.

Incredulously, that sequence included the entirety of previous boss Jackie McNamara’s 11-month reign when only five away points were taken from a possible 69, as the likes of Portsmouth, Gateshead and Guiseley all hit the club for six. Recalling such shocking statistics certainly adds credence to Mills’ withering post-match assessment of the “absolutely diabolical mess” he inherited in October, as he looked to absolve his players of the blame for the club’s current perilous predicament.

2 The game might have been one too far for some of this hard-working group

Nine of the visitors’ starting XI at the Kingfield Stadium have begun all of the last eight matches when only 13 different players have kicked off contests for the Minstermen. Mills must now decide whether the toll of such a schedule has led to mental and physical fatigue for certain individuals and if it would be worthwhile freshening up his ranks for the final push against Forest Green.

Fit bodies and minds will be needed on a fraught final day and, while wholesale changes are neither likely nor merited, City might just benefit from Adriano Moke’s ability to retain possession and Sam Muggleton’s long-throw threat from the first whistle. If fit, Yan Klukowski could also be another option at the back which would, in turn, allow Sean Newton to be moved back into an advanced role to provide some forward thrust in midfield.

3 There was an air of anxiety about City that led to Woking’s goal

When the stakes are high, decision-making comes under even closer scrutiny in football and some of City’s play suggested the tension of the occasion might have led to some uncharacteristic moments. Reliable duo Dan Parslow and Alex Whittle might both have conceded penalties for unwise challenges, before the equally consistent Newton left little room for ambiguity when he grabbed a handful of Delano Sam-Yorke’s shirt.

4 Matching up City’s 3-4-3 system put the away defence under pressure

Home boss Garry Hill decided to take a horses-for-courses approach to his team selection by switching to the City’s favoured formation and, as the visitors were without a spare man at the back, the roaming of Sam-Yorke and Gozie Ugwu isolated all three members of the back line in dangerous one-on-one situations during the match, which led to the former winning a penalty converted by the latter and Scott Loach saving good chances from both players.

At the other end, City could not get the speedy Amari Morgan-Smith into similar positions, while Vadaine Oliver only managed to breach the back-line twice and was denied both times by home keeper Michael Poke.

5 The visitors’ midfield lacked creativity

Mills has fielded Simon Heslop and Asa Hall together in the Minstermen’s engine room to provide graft, rather than craft, but the lack of an incisive pass from that area of the pitch was noticeable. Wing-backs Danny Holmes and Whittle were also unable to compensate by providing ammunition down the flanks.

Moke’s 92nd-minute introduction, meanwhile, came too late to make a difference, meaning Muggleton’s long throw proved the most likely supply line for a goal.