York City 1 Plymouth Argyle 1: Worthington is left searching for remedy to defensive headache

Their inability to defend set-pieces again cost them on Saturday when they at least had the satisfaction of being the first team to breach Plymouth’s defence for the first time in seven hours and 39 minutes of play.

But again they failed to defend a lead in a game in which they had been in control of until, ironically, Ryan Bowman headed them in front in the 53rd minute, arriving at the far post to meet Luke O’Neill’s deep cross and watching the ball bounce in off the opposite upright.

Plymouth immediately switched from the 3-5-2 formation which had kept out their previous four opponents and the introduction of Tope Obadeyi had the Minstermen back-pedalling.

They finally got what York must have been dreading, a 65th-minute free-kick a few yards outside the area following a foul by Elliott Whitehouse on Reuben Reid. Connor Hourihane pumped it to the back post, Max Blanchard won the header across goal and Obadeyi, on loan from Bury, headed down and saw O’Neill on the line slice the ball into the roof of the net.

From offering little threat previously, the Pilgrims looked the side set to claim three points and they would have taken them in stoppage time had it not been for a combination of goalkeeper Michael Ingham and Chris Smith thwarting close-range efforts from Lewis Alessandra and Reid in quick succession.

York have not kept out the oposition for eight games now and it is a problem manager Nigel Worthington is keen to address ahead of tomorrow night’s FA Cup replay at home to Bristol Rovers.

“The players need to sort it our in their own heads. It comes from mental strength, it comes from leadership and taking resposibilty and keeping a calm head on the pitch,” said Worthington after locking horns with former Sheffield Wednesday team-mate John Sheridan, whose side are unbeaten in five games.

“In the last 10 minutes we were thinking we might lose this and that’s how ridiculous this game can be. When you are on top you have to go for the jugular and see the game off.

“In the last 10 minutes we were chasing each other’s shadows and the ball was raining in on our goal.

“When it’s not going well you want to keep a clear head. It’s all about controlling and managing the game which, at the moment, we’re not too clever at.

“A clean sheet is a great foundation to move onward and upward but until we do that we will find it hard work.”

Lanre Oyebanjo, who was moved up from right-back to an attacking midfield role as Worthington made four changes due to international calls and injuries, refutes suggestions that the team as a whole has a mental fragility when it comes to defending.

“It’s not getting to me and I don’t feel like it’s getting to the team (being unable to hold onto 1-0 leads). We have just to keep working at it. It’s a problem which we have to address. We know how to defend as a team and I’m sure it will come,” he said.

“It is two points dropped really after playing so well, especially in the first half. We had worked so hard to get to 1-0. Everybody had put a shift in but I am sure it will come.”

Of his new role – striker Ryan Jarvis was similarly employed out of position on the opposite flank – Oyebanjo said: “I enjoyed playing there and I try and do what the gaffer tells me. If needs be, I’ll play there. My preferred position is right-back but it is another string to my bow and I think I did all right.

“I have played the odd game on the wing and I feel I can do a job there if needed. My natural mindset as a defender is to defend and sit in and be solid but when you are on the right wing there is more onus on you to be an attacking threat.”

Of his two makeshift flank players, Worthington said: “They did a good job for the team, which comes first, and had a lot of joy in the first half. Lanre had a lot of joy in first half, pressing and working hard. It’s good when you put something into practice and it works as a whole.”

In fact, all Worthington’s changes, which saw on-loan Burnley defender O’Neill and Ben Davies fill the full-back roles and Lewis Montrose return to provide welcome cover in front of the back four, had worked seamlessly, or so it appeared until Plymouth’s late comeback.

The presence of O’Neill, who provided some quality crosses for the strikers before withdrawing with cramp in the last minute, was welcomed by Oyebanjo, who said: “You expect competition wherever you go and rightly so. It is a squad game and everyone is part of it and you have to be ready to step in and take your chance.”

York City: Ingham, O’Neill (Platt 90), Smith, Parslow, Davies; Oyebanjo, Whitehouse, Montrose, Jarvis (Chambers 82); Fletcher, Bowman. Unused substitutes: Kettings, McGurk, Clay, Fyfield, Cresswell.

Plymouth Argyle: McCormick, Blanchard, Trotman, Branston (Gurrieri 54); Berry, Nelson, Boco (Obadeyi 54), Hourihane, Reckord (Young 46); Reid, Alessandra. Unused substitutes: Cole, Blackman, Blizzard, Harvey.

Referee: S Stockbridge (Tyne & Wear).

Man of the match: Neal Trotman.