Chaotic defending kills the beautiful dream

A glorious dream sadly withered and died for York City under the grey skies of Wembley as they were forced to reflect on a simply wretched start in their play-off final against Oxford United.

Twice inside the first quarter of the game, York’s vaunted defence collapsed like a carefully aligned set of dominoes as first Matt Green and then top scorer James Constable rippled the back of Michael Ingham’s net.

The Minstermen were then given renewed hope just before the interval when Ben Purkiss’ speculative curled delivery suddenly resembled a lathered bar of soap in the wet conditions as it was somehow juggled into his own net by U’s keeper Ryan Clarke.

To their credit, York pushed on after the break without ever appearing especially convincing, until their fate was finally sealed in the last minute when Oxford raced clear to totally settle the issue.

But how manager Martin Foyle will reflect on that simply dreadful start.

It had begun on fifteen minutes after a serious error of judgment from his skipper Michael Ingham witnessed the former Northern Ireland international goalkeeper chasing outside his area in an attempt to clear.

Unfortunately, however, it was U’s top scorer Constable who got there first and allowed Jack Midson to head down for Green to find an invitingly open goal from the edge of the box.

If that was bad it was to get much worse just five minutes later.

Oxford’s chief thrust was already proving to be early deliveries from the back, and from another such assault Green returned the compliment for Constable to strike a low and clinical left-footed finish under Ingham.

Indeed it could been all over moments later as Ingham had to beat away Green’s shot at his near post and Midson headed against the opposite upright from Adam Chapman’s subsequent corner.

York were continuing to flounder on an air of indecision and confusion, and desperately needed something to give them hope before the two sides were required to change ends.

And it arrived with two minutes remaining when Purkiss’ cross from the right appeared decidedly routine until Clarke inexplicably threw the ball into his own net.

But Oxford impressively showed their mental resolve as they courageously survived that shock and began the second period once again in the ascendancy. Levi Mackin soon had to clear from close to his own line following a corner from U’s influential midfielder Chapman.

However, York had an excellent chance of their own when Richard Brodie supplied Michael Rankine to screw a clear opportunity wide of the mark from twelve-yards.

Ingham then partially redeemed himself to deny the busy Simon Clist at the opposite end, while his side’s main efforts were still being largely restricted to long-distance as Brodie forced a routine stop from Clarke and Lawless drilled wide.

Nevertheless the introduction of Michael Gash for Rankine with twenty minutes remaining preceded a decent and more optimistic spell for the Minstermen.

Gash soon combined with his former Ebbsfleet colleague as Neil Barrett turned an effort over the bar. A second replacement, Courtney Pitt, then threatened following a progressive run by Purkiss.

More speculation was the name of the game, though, as both Lawless and Mackin presented no serious problems for Clarke, while a fine break from U’s substitute Alfie Potter should have brought reward as Constable wastefully cleared the target.

Increasingly desperate and with a third substitute in centre-back Djoumin Sangare sent on as an emergency striker, York duo Pitt and Mackin were both glaringly wide during the closing moments before their opponents wrapped it up in the final minute.

It actually began with a late corner for the Minstermen that witnessed everyone pushed forward in the hope of forcing extra-time.

But sadly it continued with a dismal delivery from Pitt, which allowed Oxford to gleefully break at pace for substitutes Sam Deering and Potter to combine and sign-off a well-deserved promotion.

York City: Ingham, Purkiss, McGurk, Graham, Meredith, Lawless, Barrett (Sangare 81), Mackin, Carruthers (Pitt 73), Rankine (Gash 70), Brodie

subs (unused): Mimms, Parslow

Goals: Clarke (OG 42)

Oxford United: Clarke, Batt, Creighton, Wright, Tonkin, Bulman, Chapman (Day 87), Clist, Green (Potter 68), Constable, Midson (Deering 79)

subs (unused): Turley, Sandwith

Goals: Green (15), Constable (20), Potter (90)

Ref: M. Naylor (South Yorkshire)

Att: 38,957