FIRST Oxford, then Cambridge – York City’s last two home matches have certainly been an education for Russ Wilcox.

Most obviously, the under-fire boss has learned that there is a growing element of supporters at Bootham Crescent who are lobbying for his dismissal.

Just four days after Oxford’s winning second goal heralded chants of “You’re Getting Sacked in the Morning”, the same taunt followed Cambridge’s 81st-minute equaliser after the Minstermen had thrown away a 2-0 lead given to them by returning pair Michael Coulson and John McCombe.

A more pointed chorus of “Wilcox Out,” meanwhile, also rang out from the David Longhurst Stand as the ex-Scunthorpe chief witnessed his team fail an examination of their mental strength.

Even allowing for 17-year-old Ben Godfrey’s surprise 65th-minute introduction, it was a shock capitulation from a City side who, when Barry Corr levelled the scores for the visitors, had five players aged between 29 and 30 on the pitch.

In fact, at 24, Femi Ilesanmi was the second-youngest member of the home side at the final whistle but, aside from goalkeeper Scott Flinders, who made several smart saves to ultimately safeguard a point, the team’s senior figures lacked the leadership required to put the game to bed against a Cambridge team that were not in the same class as previous opponents Oxford and Notts County.

Whether fatigue played a part in the collapse is feasible with McCombe and full-debutant Michael Collins asked to complete a full 90 minutes despite having not played a second of senior football this season.

Coulson, who made way for Godfrey, lasted longer than expected after being surprisingly thrown in for his first taste of action during 2015/16 following a groin operation, whilst Anthony Straker played 79 minutes during his first City start in more than a year.

But, tired limbs or not, the two goals conceded mean the Minstermen would now have needed to score at least three goals to win nine of their 13 matches this term.

In two of those contests, they would have required four.

Against Cambridge, Wilcox fielded the same back four that his predecessor Nigel Worthington replied upon at the start of last season, having decided again to dispense with the 3-5-2 formation.

The early signs were encouraging with the hosts’ back line rarely breached during a first half that, admittedly, saw chances at a premium for both teams.

For City, McCombe’s header lacked the power to trouble U’s keeper Sam Beasant after he was picked out in the penalty box by Keith Lowe’s long ball forward.

On-loan Oldham striker Rhys Turner also saw an alert Beasant smother his shot after he burst clear through the right channel and James Berrett’s edge-of-the-box effort forced a low save from the son of former England and Chelsea keeper Dave.

At the other end, meanwhile, Harrison Dunk drilled a 25-yard attempt wide and Mark Roberts missed the target with his head from a Ryan Donaldson corner.

Early in the second period, after Lowe glanced a header wide from Berrett’s corner, City looked to have seized the initiative with two goals in four minutes.

First, Berrett fed an overlapping Marvin McCoy, whose low right-wing centre was contested for by Turner and Roberts,

Subsequently, the ball dropped to Coulson 15 yards from goal and his first-time 50th-minute strike nestled into Beasant’s bottom–right corner.

Next, Straker’s ball over the top of the visitors’ defence was collected by Turner through the left channel.

He then checked his run and laid off a pass to McCombe who, from the edge of the box, showed surprising finesses for a 6ft 4in centre half to caress a curling shot into Beasant’s opposite corner.

Flinders went on to save smartly from Cambridge sub Rory Gaffney shortly afterwards but, on 56 minutes, Turner screwed a one-on-one chance wide and that miss proved costly.

Corr went close twice, seeing a shot deflected wide as City struggled to clear their lines during an anxious penalty–box scramble and then somehow volleying over three yards from goal after Luke Berry’s corner.

On 71 minutes, with the home side now shorn of Coulson’s menace, Berry went on to ghost past Godfrey through the left channel and send in a low centre that McCombe could only clear as far as Roberts, who drove a low eight-yard shot past Flinders.

The City keeper went on to make a heroic save to deny Liam Hughes from 12 yards with a save down to his right and he also reacted smartly to parry Roberts’ close-range attempt after Hughes’ long throw from the right had caused consternation in the home box.

But Corr was on hand to pounce from a couple of yards to secure his side a share of the spoils.

The remainder of the game was played out to frequent cries for Wilcox to be sacked and there was the same level of unrest at the final whistle.

Judging by communications director Sophie McGill’s response to one Main Stand moaner, though, those fans are unlikely to be granted their wishes any time soon.

The dissenting supporter was passionately advised to “Shut Up” after hurling second-half abuse in the direction of the home dugout and Wilcox will be hoping the board continue to show faith in his ability to move the club forward.

      

City

STAR MAN Scott Flinders: 8 – provided a stubborn last line of defence as team began to capitulate

Marvin McCoy: 7 – displayed plenty of attacking intent down right flank

Keith Lowe: 6 – distribution could have been better from back on occasions  

John McCombe: 7 – brilliant goal but could not stem tide as Cambridge applied pressure

Femi Ilesanmi: 6 – found it hard to get forward and lost possession at times   

Michael Collins: 7 – looked very comfortable on the ball but faded due to lack of game time

Russell Penn: 6 – not at his influential best as skipper in middle of the park

James Berrett: 7 – peripheral but still went close to scoring and started move for first goal   

Michael Coulson: 8 – troubled Cambridge with probing runs and took goal well  

Rhys Turner: 7 – involved in both goals and a threat in behind the away defence

Anthony Straker: 6 – threatened sporadically but needed to carry game to visitors more

Substitutes: Ben Godfrey 6 – outwitted (for Coulson, 65), Emile Sinclair (for Turner, 76), Josh Carson (for Straker, 79).  

Subs not used: Michael Ingham, George Swan, David Tutonda, Reece Thompson.

 

Cambridge

Sam Beasant, Leon Legge, Mark Roberts, George Taft, Greg Taylor, Jeff Hughes, Harrison Dunk (Rory Gaffney, 46), Ryan Donaldson (Luke Berry, 58), Liam Hughes, Barry Corr. Subs not used: Elliott Omozusi, Robbie Simpson, Gearoid Morissey, Jordan Chiedozie, Conor Newton.  

Cambridge star man: Roberts – always impresses against City

 

Referee: Ben Toner. Rating: 8/10 – hard to recall too many mistakes  

Booked: Collins 44, Roberts 90.

Attendance: 2,987 (474 from Cambridge)  

 

Shots on target: City 5, Cambridge 6

Shots off target: City 3, Cambridge 8

Corners: City 7, Cambridge 8

Fouls conceded: City 7, Cambridge 8

Offsides: City 5, Cambridge 1