AFTER Stephane Zubar’s attempted head butt earned him an early shower, his York City team-mates proved what a hard nut they are to crack during a highly-spirited 0-0 draw with Plymouth.

Despite being reduced to ten men for more than three-quarters of the game following Zubar’s 20th-minute dismissal for thrusting his face into that of Plymouth’s Peter Hartley, City restricted their seventh-placed visitors to only two on-target shots on the way to a third consecutive clean sheet.

John McCombe deserves great credit for his role in that achievement, coming in from the cold having started an eighth successive match on the bench to put in a towering performance after slotting into the back four in place of Zubar.

But City’s defence were also assisted considerably by an indefatigable display by their midfield counterparts and striker Jake Hyde, who was left to plough a lonely furrow up front after Wes Fletcher was sacrificed for McCombe.

Led by the inspirational Russell Penn, who won a succession of tackles and provided a defensive screen while still lending a hand in attack, that quintet ensured Plymouth were afforded few clear sights of Alex Cisak’s goal and City’s back line were not put under the kind of pressure you would expect from a promotion-chasing team benefitting from a numerical advantage.

Instead, it was the Minstermen that caused the most problems at the opposite end of the pitch with Hyde having a hat-trick of presentable chances to secure maximum points and ex-Pilgrim Luke Summerfield also denied by a fine save from his former Home Park team-mate Luke McCormick.

Earlier, McCormick had been called into action with only 56 seconds on the clock when he caught Fletcher’s improvised and acrobatic overhead kick after Penn headed into the penalty box.

For Plymouth, Lee Cox and Reuben Reid both failed to trouble Cisak with weak efforts from the edge of the box before Zubar saw red.

Hartley seemed to retaliate in kind and with equal aggression but escaped with a caution, as referee Darren Drysdale deemed the Guadeloupe international’s instigating provocation to be the greater offence.

Crucially, the Lincolnshire official also ruled that the altercation had taken place before Cisak had taken a goal kick, meaning City were spared the added punishment of conceding a penalty.

For Zubar, his indiscretion on the final day of his loan spell from Bournemouth might prove as costly as his last red card, which cut short a similar stint at Port Vale earlier this season.

The Minstermen, though, took the setback in their stride, buoyed by rousing support from the home crowd.

Plymouth, who are comfortable in possession but can be over-deliberate, struggled to up their tempo in response to Zubar’s sending off, even after manager John Sheridan belatedly changed formation on the stroke of half-time, reducing the number of centre-backs needed to look after lone central striker Hyde from three to two.

The hosts, who were charging around the pitch with purpose and passion, went closest to opening the scoring before the break in first-half stoppage time when Summerfield’s free-kick was parried by McCormick and a lunging Hyde could only find the grounded Plymouth keeper’s midriff on the follow up.

After the interval, the Pilgrims threatened briefly with left-wing back Andy Kellett flashing a shot across the face of goal and then delivering a cross that Reuben Reid headed wide.

Lewis Alessandra’s downward header also forced Cisak into a first save of the afternoon on 58 minutes before City stamped their authority on proceedings for much of the last half-hour.

After Hyde shot wide from 15 yards, he then saw a firm header from Penn’s excellent curling left-wing cross saved by McCormick and, moments later, missed his finest opportunity of the afternoon.

Michael Coulson teed it up following a sensational 70-yard burst down the right flank and a low cross to the far post.

But Hyde, shooting back across the face of goal, fired wide from six yards out.

Hyde almost made amends on 71 minutes when, following a swift counter attack started by Josh Carson, he released Summerfield through the right channel.

The 27-year-old playmaker then took aim but his firm 12-yard attempt was kept out at the near post by McCormick.

Coulson and Carson tried their luck with further strikes from the edge of the penalty box while Plymouth were limited to a couple of off-target long-range drives by substitute Ollie Norburn, Reuben Reid’s half-volley that drifted wide from the edge of the box and a 30-yard Jason Banton strike that was fumbled to safety by Cisak.

City have now gone just under five hours without conceding – a significant transformation for a side that had managed just one shutout in the 12 previous matches.

Having worked hard to enhance the team’s potency, Wilcox appears to have ironed out one or two problems at the back too.

Encouragingly, Saturday’s uplifting performance was also achieved with outfield players who are all contracted to the club, following Zubar’s red card, allaying any fears that City’s continued improvement might be dependent on securing the services of their five loan signings beyond the present transfer window.

Match facts

York City

Cisak 7 – given a couple of uneasy moments before claiming a third consecutive clean sheet

McCoy 7 – had his hands full with Kellett at times but stuck to his task with grit

Lowe 7 – adapted well after Zubar red card to re-establish solid partnership with McCome

Zubar 5 – will regret moment of rashness which might have ramifications on City future

Ilesanmi 7 – gave away possession early on but stayed disciplined defensively when side were down to ten

Coulson 8 – gave team great energy down the right flank and never stopped running

STAR MAN Penn 9 – broke up, dictated and forced play with a tremendous desire to overcome numerical disadvantage

Summerfield 8 – worked hard to protect back four, passed the ball with care and accuracy and came close to continuing his scoring run

Carson 8 – industrious throughout, won his tackles and finished the match strongly

Hyde 8 – could have been more ruthless in front of goal but led the line well as sole striker after Zubar’s red card

Fletcher 7 – unlucky to be sacrificed after a bright and determined start to the match

Subs: John McCombe 8 – towering (for Fletcher, 22), Lindon Meikle (for Coulson, 90).

Subs not used: Jason Mooney, Tom Platt, Carlton Morris, Lewis Montrose.

Plymouth Argyle

Luke McCormick, Kelvin Mellor, Carl McHugh, Curtis Nelson, Peter Hartley (Ollie Norburn, 45), Andy Kellett; Anthony O’Connor, Lee Cox, Bobby Reid (Jason Banton, 73); Reuben Reid, Lewis Alessandra (Marvin Morgan, 59). Subs not used: James Bittner, Ben Purrington, Dominic Blizzard, Nathan Thomas.

Plymouth star man: Kellett – posed only attacking threat down the left

Booked: Hartley 21, O’Connor 29.

Sent off: Zubar 20.

Attendance: 3,869 (528 from Plymouth)

Referee: Darren Drysdale (Lincoln) rating: 7/10 – could have sent off Hartley along with Zubar

Shots on target: City 6, Plymouth 2

Shots off target: City 5, Plymouth 10

Corners: City 7, Plymouth 10

Fouls conceded: City 5, Plymouth 11

Offsides: City 1, Plymouth 2