York City 0 Oxford United 0: Christmas Day training for hard-working York

NIGEL Worthington admitted that some might call him Scrooge this Christmas but he was given some festive cheer as his York City side held promotion-chasing Oxford.

The Minstermen, whose manager has told them to report for training at 5.30pm on December 25, have still not won a game for nine matches following Saturday’s goal-less stalemate.

York’s top scorer Ryan Jarvis, however, had the best chance to win maximum points on an afternoon when the home side proved a match for the only side in English football’s top five divisions still undefeated on their travels this season.

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Visiting shot-stopper Ryan Clarke saved with his legs as Jarvis bore down on his goal unopposed on the hour mark but Worthington was pleased with his players’ performance.

He said: “We are doing pretty much everything right except for finishing games off.

“We are still creating chances and that’s the main thing and, if we keep working hard and stick at it, then I am sure that things will turn and start happening for us very soon.

“We will be in on Christmas Day because, along with Easter, this is the busiest time of the year for us” he added.

“It’s work time – it’s as simple as that.”

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As well as Jarvis’s chance, substitute Ashley Chambers was also denied by Clarke in stoppage time during a second one-on-on opportunity.

Former Sheffield United striker Dave Kitson, meanwhile, went closest for the U’s but his downward header from David Hunt’s free kick was kept out by on-loan Wolverhampton goalkeeper Aaron McCarey.

York City: McCarey; O’Neill, McGurk, Lowe, Davies; Carson, Montrose, Platt, Brobbel (Coulson, 59); Jarvis (Chambers, 79), Fletcher. Unused substitutes: Oyebanjo, Clay, Fyfield, Ingham, Puri.

Oxford United: Clarke; Hunt, Wright, Mullins, Newey; Williams (Smalley, 77), Rose, Hall, Ruffels (Rigg, 56); Kitson, Constable. Unused substitutes: Raynes, Davies, Marsh, Crocombe, Long.

Referee: K Hill (Royston).

York man-of-the-match: Josh Carson.