ONLY Championship strugglers Reading and National League South bottom club Weston Super-Mare have now gone longer without back-to-back league wins than York City from the 160 teams competing in English football’s top seven divisions.

The Minstermen’s current run, which dates back to a fifth consecutive victory when Telford were seen off 5-3 in January 2018, represents the fourth-longest sequence in the club’s history with the unenviable record belonging to the squad that went 17 months without successive successes between September 1986 and April 1988 during the managerial transition from club legend Denis Smith to Bobby Saxton.

Weston Super-Mare’s wait, meanwhile, stretches back ten further days to January 6, 2018 while fourth-bottom, second-tier team Reading, who finished last term just one place higher, have not won two Championship contests on the spin since December 2, 2017.

The Royals, like City, are on to their third permanent manager during their bleak pattern of results with Jaap Stam and Paul Clement having been seen off with Jose Manuel Gomes now the man assigned with reversing the club’s fortunes. Weston Super-Mare, meanwhile, have kept faith with Marc McGregor throughout their struggles.

Ironically, all three clubs could end their hoodoos this weekend, however, having each taken maximum points from their last matches – City winning 2-0 at home to Ashton United, Weston overcoming mid-table visitors Slough by the same scoreline and Reading inflicting a 2-1 midweek defeat on Blackburn at the Madejski Stadium.

Backing all three clubs to uncharacteristically follow those victories up with another this afternoon is a 242-1 shot, according to SkyBet with Reading travelling to promotion hopefuls Sheffield United, Weston at second-placed Woking and City visiting play-off contenders Kidderminster.

The Minstermen have gone three months longer than any other National League North outfit to take six points from a possible six, with bottom-of-the-table Nuneaton having last achieved the modest feat in April, making them one of just ten sides in the Premier League, Championship, League One, League Two, Football League, National League, National League North and National League South not to have done so this season.

Ahead of this afternoon’s Aggborough test, City have failed in 12 previous attempts to secure two National League North triumphs on the trot, being thwarted a remarkable three times by Curzon Ashton, as well as the likes of Nuneaton and Leamington.

Longest sequences since last back-to-back wins in English football’s top-seven divisions: 1 Reading - Dec 2, 2017; 2 Weston Super-Mare – Jan 6, 2018; 3 YORK CITY – Jan 16, 2018; 4 Huddersfield – Feb 24, 2018; 5 Ipswich – Mar 6, 2018; 6 East Thurrock – Apr 7, 2018; 7 Nuneaton – Apr 10, 2018; 8 Rotherham – Apr 21, 2017; 9 Oxford – Apr 28, 2018; 10 Fulham – May 26, 2017.

JORDAN Burrow has overtaken long-time leader Adam Bartlett at the top of The Press Player of the Year standings.

The 26-year-old forward earned three points towards the contest as our man of the match for the 2-0 home win over Ashton United.

Wes York (two points) and David Mirfin (one) were also recognised for their efforts as The Press’ second and third-highest rated performers respectively.

There is a new leader too of The Press’ February Player of the Month competition with York topping our online man-of-the-match poll to earn himself the two bonus points on offer, which saw him replace Mirfin at the summit.

The Press Player of the Year standings: Burrow 27, Bartlett 26, Griffiths 21, Wright 14, Moke 11, York 11, Ferguson 9, Heslop 9, Penn 9, Tait 9, Bray 8, Newton 8, Parkin 6, Kempster 5, Langstaff 5, Allan 4, Davis 4, Mirfin 4, Agnew 3, Bencherif 3, Digie 3, Dyer 3, Harris 3, Law 3, Burgess 2, Hawkins 2, McAughtrie 1, Parslow 1.

The Press Player of the Month standings for February: York 7, Mirfin 6, Burrow 5, Kempster 4, Law 1, Newton 1.

Goals: Burrow 17, Langstaff 5, Wright 5, Newton 4, Kempster 3, Parkin 3, Bencherif 2, Ferguson 2, Harris 2, Moke 2, Tait 2, York 2, Bray 1, Hawkins 1, Heslop 1.

Assists: Burrow 9, Harris 5, Ferguson 4, Langstaff 4, Law 4, Wright 4, Parkin 3, Bray 3, York 3, Bartlett 2, Griffiths 2, Allan 1, Agnew 1, Digie 1, Dyer 1, Hawkins 1, Heslop 1, Kempster 1, Newton 1, Tait 1.

Discipline: Wright eight yellow cards; Heslop seven yellow; Newton five yellow; Bencherif, Griffiths, Moke all four yellow; Tait one red, two yellow; Davis three yellow; Law two yellow; Penn one red, one yellow; Bray one red; Allan, Ferguson, Hawkins, Kempster, Langstaff, McAughtrie, York all one yellow.