1 York’s paying public are losing patience with and interest in their football club

The current average attendance of 2,205 this season represents the lowest in a campaign since 1981. Saturday’s gate of 2,137, meanwhile, was two below the club’s record worst figure over a whole term, set in 1977/78.

These are concerning figures for a team that has enjoyed heavy home victories over Woking (4-1) and Solihull (4-0) and had not been beaten at Bootham Crescent prior to Dover’s triumph. The abject manner in which that record was surrendered, though, does not bode well for a return to the club’s own turf against Aldershot a week on Saturday.

Only the hardcore, who deserve great praise for their loyalty and unstinting devotion to the club, remain. Calls for Jackie McNamara to resign or be sacked, meanwhile, illustrated the level of distrust sections of that Minstermen faithful harbour in terms of his ability to drag the club into a position more befitting of its proud history.

York Press: 2 Lanre Oyebanjo’s absence continues to be sorely felt

Waiting for positive news on the timing of Oyebanjo’s eagerly-anticipated second debut for the club is almost as futile an exercise as pondering on when a brick might actually be laid at Monks Cross. The double-Wembley winning hero’s absence has been keenly felt all season at right back, where his dynamic forward charges and defensive resilience would be a double boost for the side.

Unsurprisingly, at 20, rookie Shaun Rooney has made mistakes that have cost the team goals and points this season, as well as earned himself a one-match ban. But centre-back Ben Clappison, only 21 himself, fared worse against Dover when called upon as a makeshift deputy.

The former Hull City defender could not cope with match-winner Ricky Miller’s quick mind and feet. It was a contest that proved a mismatch and, hopefully, Clappison won’t emerge from the experience too scarred, having shown some potential in his natural position.

York Press: 3 City must toughen up in defence

Left-back Alex Whittle offered the most resistance of the Minstermen’s back four in the face of a robust and determined Dover attack. His team-mates, meanwhile, were given a torrid time by their direct adversaries.

Matt Fry appealed for a foul in the build-up to Dover’s goal, but it was surprising how many times the former West Ham youth-team graduate ended up on the deck during the general hurly-burly of a typical National League contest. Alongside him, meanwhile, Jack Higgins seems torn between the blood-and-thunder, no-nonsense approach to defending that has always been his forte and his manager’s demand that the team try and play out from the back.

York Press: 4 Daniel Nti is struggling to make his mark on games

McNamara admitted after the Dover defeat that some of the club’s lower-league recruits are struggling with the expectations at Bootham Crescent. The City boss did not mention any names but it would be no shock if, among others, he was referring to Nti – a £4,000 summer capture from Worcester City.

After eight outings in the club’s colours, Nti has not managed an assist or a goal. There has also been too little evidence of the lightning pace that persuaded City to give him the opportunity to step up a grade.

York Press: 5 Fifth-division football means fifth-division officials

The quality of the officials this season has been debatable, evidenced again at the weekend when a referee’s assistant failed to get out of the way of Kaine Felix and ended up injuring himself and almost crocking the City winger. There was a suspicion of offside, meanwhile, for Miller’s goal and other definite occasions when a flag should have been raised, but wasn’t.

McNamara highlighted the potential importance of such decisions, but teams up and down the country in this division will be suffering from similar injustices every week. The City boss also pointed to a possible penalty for a push on Aidan Connolly but, similarly, Miller might have had a spot kick when he appeared to be nudged over by City skipper Simon Heslop.

Relying on those in charge to consistently get things right at the level the club is now plying their trade is unrealistic, as previously acknowledged by McNamara. Nor are the repercussions of such mistakes exclusively confined to the Minstermen or a conspiracy against his players.