York City v Oxford: Ingham rivalry (From York Press)

York City v Oxford: Ingham rivalry

11:30am Friday 31st August 2012 in Sport By Dave Flett, Sports reporter

YORK City goalkeeper Michael Ingham still considers Oxford United to be a big rival more than two years on from the Conference play-off final between the two clubs.

Ingham is likely to be the only home player in tomorrow’s League Two clash with the U’s to have figured in the 2010 promotion decider at Wembley as team-mate Dan Parslow was only an unused substitute on the day.

Back then, Oxford emerged as 3-1 victors with Ingham held culpable at the time for the game’s first goal and the City shot-stopper is now keen to exorcise that particular ghost.

He said: “Personally, I got a lot of stick from the last time we played against them and, from the football club’s point of view, apart from Bradford possibly, they will be our main rivals in this division because of past history.

“I don’t think the rivalry will be as big as Luton for the fans maybe and there’s only myself and Dan Parslow from that day who are likely to be playing, but we will both be out to put things right.”

Back in 2010, Ingham started the match by charging out to the edge of his penalty area to smother at Oxford striker Matt Green’s feet but, when he was lured off his line again on 15 minutes, old adversary James Constable beat him to the ball.

He then hooked the ball towards Jack Midson, who beat James Meredith in the air, before Green fired over covering defender David McGurk into the roof of the net.

Six minutes later, Constable doubled the U’s lead by beating Ingham from 12 yards after the ball had struck Meredith in the face and fallen fortuitously into the forward’s path.

Midson also hit a post before City were handed a lifeline three minutes before the break when Ben Purkiss’ right-wing cross was mishandled by Ryan Clarke with the ball bouncing over the line off the embarrassed ’keeper’s nose.

Minstermen pair Michael Rankine and Neil Barrett then squandered excellent chances for an equaliser, only for Oxford substitute Alfie Potter to put the outcome beyond doubt in the first minute of stoppage time when, leading a swift counter-attack, he exchanged passes with fellow replacement Sam Deering before shooting past a helpless Ingham from ten yards.

Recalling the events of that disappointing day, Ingham said: “In terms of the mistake, my game is all about helping the boys by sweeping up at the back and coming off my line and I can say that, 100 times out of 100, I would have gone for the same ball.

“It just did not zip off the surface in the same way as it had done a couple of minutes earlier when I got it.

“It was obviously a blow to lose the game because it was an opportunity to get promoted but I helped to put that right last season.”

Chris Wilder, in charge of Oxford in 2010, still heads the Kassam Stadium helm while his Wembley counterpart Martin Foyle parted company with City the following autumn after a poor start to the new season.

HOW IT WAS BACK THEN

City team: Ingham, Purkiss, Graham, McGurk, Meredith, Lawless, Mackin, Barrett (Sangare, 81), Carruthers (Pitt, 73), Rankine (Gash, 70), Brodie.

Number one single on the day: Good Times (Roll Deep featuring Jodie Connor)

It also happened on this day: David Triesman resigns as chairman of the FA and England’s 2018 World Cup bid after suggesting to a Mail On Sunday reporter that Spain could drop their bid if Russia bribe referees at the following month’s World Cup.