5 Things We Learned from York City's 2-0 loss at Boston

Only two National League North teams – Guiseley (seven) and Hereford (six) – have now scored fewer times on their travels than the Minstermen this season. Furthermore, neither club has played as many as the ten away matches that have seen City register a paltry eight-goal haul.

It is a deep-seated problem that pre-dates Sam Collins’ spell in charge as, if statistics from last season are included, then only 11 goals have been scored during the club’s last 18 league trips – just three fixtures short of being the equivalent to a full campaign’s quota. During the first half at Boston, winger Adriano Moke – who averages a goal every 20 games for the Minstermen having netted six times in 119 outings – mustered the visitors’ only two shots before the break and the side didn’t really show any genuine attacking vigour until the game was lost in the final five minutes.

City started life in National League North by winning their first two away matches – the second a thumping 5-0 victory at current table-toppers Bradford Park Avenue despite playing the last 20 minutes of that game with ten men. A repeat performance of that result at any ground now seems sadly remote.

Aside from the anomaly of a 3-1 FA Trophy triumph at Kidderminster, when the shackles were seemingly off, City travel with little confidence and even less adventure, having now won just two of their last 18 away contests at sixth-tier level and lost 12. Tellingly, during that 11-month period, Macaulay Langstaff, with three, is the only player to have scored more than one league goal outside of Bootham Crescent. With the likes of Joe Ironside and Alex Bray starting on the bench at Boston, the selected side’s potency looked further compromised and City must find a measure of attacking bravery quickly if their sorry fortunes on the road are to be reversed.

2 Sean Newton is in danger of being dropped for the first time

When he first signed for the club, Sean Newton looked one of the best players in non-League football. Along with Jon Parkin, he was one of the two most influential figures as the club came within one last-minute goal of preserving their fifth-tier status after the team displayed top-ten form following the turn of the calendar year.

His inspirational qualities even resulted in him being made captain by then manager Gary Mills, but he has not hit the same heights since and lacks the dynamism and stamina that used to see him charge down the line and provide a threatening supply of ammunition from the left flank. He no longer wears the skipper’s armband either and, with three of the last four goals having been conceded from raids down his side of the pitch, Newton could be in danger of being left out of the starting XI for the first time in his City career.

3 The team line-up was too lightweight against a physical Boston team

City boss Sam Collins demanded more fight from his team but, in fielding the likes of Alex Harris, Adriano Moke and Macaulay Langstaff, he selected three players whose propensity to compete with the stronger opponents in National League North looked short of the necessary requirements. Each player was substituted in the second half having been muscled off the ball by Boston defenders and midfielders on several occasions.

Playing the trio in the same team – or even two at once – might be something Collins now considers closely when selecting future sides.

4 Good wages and long-term deals have proven counter-productive

Long contracts and well-paid players have handicapped City’s progress rather than provided value for money since the drop into regionalised football. How well the players are looked after – a theme revisited by Sam Collins at Boston – has been regularly used as an example of why the club should expect better standards.

In truth, it seems to have had the reverse effect. Too many unwanted players are unwilling to seek pastures new, because their wages won’t be matched – Josh Law has previously admitted as much in an interview – by potentially interested parties.

With future recruitment, a balance must be found between competing financially against the leading clubs, while maintaining hunger in a squad that has failed to claim back-to-back league wins for 11 months.

5 Player accountability is seemingly in short supply at Bootham Crescent

Sam Collins’ comments about excuse-making among the team offered a disturbing insight into the Minstermen’s dressing room character and the manager is right to rubbish such talk. Just as he dismissed a post-match moan after the 3-0 Altrincham game that suggested the club’s current fortunes couldn’t be down to this group of players, given that so many more had tried and failed before, he was clearly incensed to hear more people absolving themselves of responsibility after another dismal showing.

The one issue Collins could now face, having called into question the commitment of “20-odd” players at the club, is avoiding them making him their latest excuse for perpetual failure if he is right about their answerability views. It is, after all, easier to offload one manager than 20-odd footballers.