Vital for Minstermen to keep in with pack

GARY MILLS believes the incredibly compact nature of the League Two table means York City have to be pleased with their own start to life back in the Football League, writes Richard Sutcliffe.

The weekend victory over Dagenham & Redbridge means the Minstermen travel to Accrington Stanley tonight sitting 12th with 18 points from 13 games.

So tightly packed are the clubs in the basement that just four points separate Fleetwood Town in third from Morecambe in 14th place, underlining to Mills just how handily placed York are ahead of the trip to the Crown Ground tonight.

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He said: “It is still early days but I think the league table shows that we have had a good start. A few people were unhappy when we kept drawing recently but I kept saying they were important.

“The current look of the table backs that up. Obviously, we want three points all the time, but the draws add up, providing you get the wins as well.

“By the time we get to 20 games in, I’d expect what is now a four-point gap between all those sides to have stretched to seven or eight. When that happens, we need to make sure we are there or thereabouts.”

The York manager also points to how Crewe Alexandra went on to clinch promotion via the play-offs last season despite losing 15 games and being in the lower half of the table for long periods. Alexandra were, in fact, 15th at this stage last term with 16 points.

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Mills said: “I was looking at Crewe’s record of wins, draws and losses last season. They are a good example of how a team can win promotion after staying in touch for much of the season.

“We are doing well and I am delighted with our players.”

Last six games: Accrington Stanley LWWLLL, York City DLDLDW.

Last time: Accrington Stanley 2 York City 1; October 29, 2005; Conference.

Referee: D Drysdale (Lincolnshire).