5 Things We Learned from York City's 1-1 draw at Hereford

Now 29, many City fans have been disappointed that Josh Law has not made his presence felt more having arrived at Bootham Crescent last year following a season in which he had made 28 appearances for Oldham at League One level – three division higher than his current employers now ply their trade. He has found a fan in temporary chief Sam Collins, though, who has played Law for every minute of his three-game tenure, having brought the versatile performer back in from the cold.

With Collins’ preferred style of play relying on deep-lying midfielders who have an ability to retain possession and are disciplined and intelligent in their positional play, Law has fit the bill so far. His quality on the ball was also evident with the raking pass that proved the catalyst for City’s goal and has also seen him wrest the set-piece responsibility off the hitherto-impressive Kallum Griffiths.

Collins’ principles also depend heavily on his players anticipating when to play short or long – highlighted by his irritation at a stray ball out of defence that led to Hereford’s equaliser. But Law’s decision-making in that respect has been exemplary, even if there will always be inevitable demands from certain voices in the stands to get the ball forward quicker.

2 Jon Parkin could claim more assists than goals

Perhaps surprisingly, the 36-year-old veteran currently has more assists to his name than goals in 2018/19. For the second time this term, Macaulay Langstaff was a beneficiary of Parkin’s ability to lay on chances for others at Hereford, with Adriano Moke having also capitalised on an aerial ball won by the ex-Championship campaigner in the previous match.

Given his age and size, inevitable attention will always surround Parkin’s mobility but, if the old footballing adage is to be believed that the first three yards are in your head, then you won’t find many better examples than the movement made by the Barnsley-born behemoth for Saturday’s opening goal. As Kallum Griffiths scurried down the right flank. Parkin intelligently lost his unwitting marker Jordan Cullinane-Liburd by setting off on a sideways run along the edge of the 18-yard area rather than carrying on towards goal.

Giving Griffiths an easy option to pick out Parkin in a dangerous position, rather than playing a percentage ball into the box where Jake Wright was accompanied by three defenders, last term’s 25-goal top marksman then guided the ball to the far post where a late-arriving Langstaff tapped in. Parkin’s one-touch finishing prowess understandably meant previous City bosses Gary Mills and Martin Gray were keen to adopt a manner of playing that presented the ex-Stoke and Hull forward with as many goalscoring opportunities as possible, but caretaker chief Sam Collins appears to be placing equal importance on using his former KC Stadium team-mate’s ability to tee up team-mates, given the energy around him.

Anybody still doubting Parkin’s contributions as he reaches his twilight could reflect on the statistic that the team have still only netted in one of their last 14 matches without him on the pitch, despite the talisman missing five of those games completely and being named as a sub in a further six. Indeed, after he departed the action on 75 minutes, City could only summon one more chance before the final whistle – a sliced Langstaff shot from a diminishing angle after Simon Heslop’s through ball.

3 Jake Wright is better suited to a central role

Ever since striking duos became unfashionable, a generation of centre forwards have needed to adapt to three-pronged front-lines to avoid obscurity. Wright’s tenacious running would probably see him best suited to filling the latter role of an old-school big-man/little-man strike partnership, where his willingness to chase balls down the middle of the pitch can unsettle defences.

Instead, he was required to fulfil a position closer to the touchlines at Hereford and, regularly, inside his own half. Wright was just as willing, persistent and niggly in the role, but he ran into too many blind alleys and the conceded free kicks, that are a natural by-product of his aggressive approach, tend to be awarded in more dangerous areas and are more likely to attract cautions.

The former Sheffield United reserve has demonstrated he has something to offer – he netted six times and claimed three assists in 14 matches to help Harrogate Town win promotion last season. But it might require a formation change or tweak if he is to flourish, with Saturday’s match seeing him fail to muster a goal attempt or tee up a chance for his team-mates.

4 Macaulay Langstaff demonstrated a potential to grab poacher’s goals

During the 2-0 home win against Blyth, Langstaff received plaudits for leading the line with energy and getting away a series of shots from outside the penalty box that were spectacular in their execution but, ultimately, didn’t result in the net bulging. It is common sense that the closer you are to goal, the greater chance you have of scoring – former City attacker Matty Blair used to deliberately attack the opposition’s six-yard box as much as possible with that logic in mind.

City fans should have been encouraged, therefore, by the sight of Langstaff charging towards the far post to claim his third goal of the season with a tap-in.

5 Hereford might have hit a ceiling – for now

Given the character of Edgar Street and its place in the pantheon of football history thanks to FA Cup shocks and John Motson’s sheepskin coat, it’s great to see Hereford back on an upward trajectory. Since the club was reformed in 2015, three back-to-back promotions have seen Peter Beadle’s side grow accustomed to winning games but, at some point, every club finds their level and, at this moment in time, that might be tier six for Saturday’s hosts.

Mike McGrath’s equaliser saw the Bulls avoid losing three consecutive games for the first time since the old club ceased trading and the prospects of maintaining the momentum of success this season look unlikely. Currently mid-table, some of Hereford’s players will find the step up from Evo-Stik League football difficult to breach and, against City, the team appeared to lack that little bit of attacking spark usually needed to win titles or climb up a division.

The club’s fanbase, which currently places them as the second-best supported outfit in National League North behind Stockport and just ahead of the Minstermen, should eventually restore them to the rightful place – at least another league higher. Beadle, though, recently expressed his astonishment at Nuneaton’s decision to operate on a full-time basis and, despite the good crowds, Hereford are emulating the likes of former Football League foes Stockport and Darlington by following a semi-professional model, while refusing to break the bank in their pursuit of past status.