IT might be world-renowned as a city to study the Classics but Oxford was no place for scholars of the beautiful game.

For York City, though, points are all that matters at this stage of the season and Russ Wilcox’s team have learnt a lesson or two in recent weeks.

The Minstermen have pulled six points clear of the Football League’s relegation trap door with a well-timed four-match unbeaten run and, in their last pair of outings, have also demonstrated a welcome, some might day belated, ability to safeguard one point or three during the final throes of fixtures.

Following Good Friday’s 1-0 defeat of Cheltenham, City completed their Easter programme by securing a share of the spoils during a goalless draw at the Kassam Stadium.

In both contests, Wilcox’s side never looked like conceding the kind of late goal that has seen them toss 11 points away from the 88th-minute mark and onwards this term.

Whilst it might be premature to talk about corners turned, with safety far from certain five games from the end of the campaign, the Minstermen’s switch to a back three does seem to have made the side much more difficult to breach.

Just 72 hours earlier, Oxford had put three goals past promotion-chasing Wycombe but they were restricted to only the same number of shots on target in front of a 9,000-strong crowd at their own stadium.

Home keeper Ryan Clarke, meanwhile, was not required to make a single save during an uneventful 90 minutes but, with Wilcox’s switch to a 3-4-3 formation designed to combat the attacking threat of U’s full-backs George Baldock and Joe Skarz, the visitors succeeded in implementing their manager’s gameplan.

Stephane Zubar’s employment as an unorthodox left-wing back certainly helped in that respect with few inroads made down that side of the pitch.

The positioning of Michael Coulson and Shaq Coulthirst out wide also provided further defensive assurance on the flanks, even if it meant Jake Hyde was often left to plough a lonely furrow in attack.

Unsurprisingly, both team’s best chances came from set-pieces with Skarz shooting wide from a free kick and Dave Winfield heading over following Luke Summerfield’s corner.

City kicked off the game with a much more cautious and measured approach than that adopted in their previous away match at Mansfield when they started at a breakneck speed that set the tone for their subsequent 4-1 win.

The visitors still mustered the first two shots of the afternoon with Coulson firing way off target 20 yards out and Hyde dragging wastefully wide from a similar distance.

Oxford managed just one goal attempt during the whole first half with Kyle Vassell firing into Michael Ingham’s arms from the edge of the penalty box after referee Nigel Miller had played advantage following Winfield’s foul on Kemar Roofe.

After the interval, Skarz missed a great opportunity when he screwed his eight-yard chance wide after the ball had fallen to his feet in a crowded penalty box following Danny Rose’s left-wing free kick.

Winfield then headed over from eight yards after Lowe had initially risen highest to meet Summerfield’s flag kick only to see his goalbound effort blocked.

That was the sum of City’s second-half threat and Oxford only offered fleeting moments of danger at the other end.

On 77 minutes, a well-worked move saw Rose volley across the face of goal and wide of Ingham’s left-hand upright from eight yards.

A sidefooted, 20-yard Josh Ruffels strike was also directed straight down Ingham’s throat and the same player failed to beat City’s recalled shot-stopper with a glancing near-post header in stoppage time.

The Minstermen now play host to Hartlepool on Saturday aiming to rack up their longest unbeaten run of the season by avoiding defeat for a fifth fixture.

 

Match stats

York City

Michael Ingham 7 – handled reliably and kicked with confidence to keep another clean sheet.

Keith Lowe 7 – unflappable and stayed calm when Oxford tried to crank up pressure late on.

Dave Winfield 7 – made sure that if ball passed him player didn’t during a couple of key moments.

John McCombe 7 – never looked troubled through left channel and cleared lines well.

Brad Halliday 7 – rarely beaten down City’s right during a typically tigerish display.

Russell Penn 8 – STAR MAN patrolled midfield with authority and sensible in possession.

Luke Summerfield 7 – disciplined throughout and picked out his passes with vision and intelligence.

Stephane Zubar7 – gave team extra defensive security and coped well in unfamiliar wing-back role.

Shaq Coulthirst 6 – stopped in his tracks several times by home defence but always willing.

Jake Hyde 6 – strayed offside on a number of occasions and did not really threaten goal.

Michael Coulson 6 – plugged away without really opening up a resilient home defence.

Subs: Tom Platt (for Summerfield, 78). Not used: Josh O’Hanlon, Shaun Miller, Lindon Meikle, Lewis Montrose, Marvin McCoy, Jason Mooney.

 

Oxford Utd

Ryan Clarke, George Baldock, Johnny Mullins, Jake Wright, Joe Skarz, Alex MacDonald (Danny Hylton, 62), Josh Ruffels, Michael Collins, Danny Rose (Callum O’Dowda, 78), Kyle Vassell (Patrick Hoban, 62), Kemar Roofe. Subs not used: Andy Whing, Jamie Ashdown, Sam Long, Chey Dunkley.

Star man: Jake Wright – always a strong adversary.

 

Referee: Nigel Miller (County Durham).

Rating: 7/10 – generally sound.

Booked: Winfield 88.

 

Attendance: 9,406 (422 from City).

 

Shots on target: Oxford 3, City 0.

Shots off target: Oxford 2, City 4.

Corners: Oxford 4, City 6.

Fouls conceded: Oxford 7, City 12.

Offsides: Oxford 1, City 5.