Being exiled up in the north, well in the next UK City of Culture to be precise, I had seen just one of our games this season – away at Sheffield Wednesday – where depending on your opinion, you were either absolutely appalled that Michael Appleton had made six changes or very understanding. I fell into the latter category, for the simple reason that promotion is the target for this season and with the likes of Kemar Roofe and George Baldock carrying knocks what was the point in risking your top line players.

It is with great interest therefore, that I read Paul Beasley’s ‘Fan’s View’ after every U’s game. (Don’t worry he is producing a super double edition after Saturday’s game at Accrington). From the games I saw last season, I found myself agreeing with Paul on the majority of points he made, I must claim however to have seen Callum O’Dowda’s rise to a first team regular coming much earlier than Paul did!

Ourselves away at York on a Tuesday night was one of the shorter trips made in this round of League Two fixtures, I think there must have been a power surge whilst the fixture computer was doing its thing. I understand that clubs want their local games on Saturday’s to ensure high crowds but surely common sense suggests that giving fans a 300+ round trip on a Tuesday night is going to limit the amount of travelling fans. I can’t complain too much, a 50 minute train journey, a pint and a short walk led me to the away terrace at Bootham Crescent. After living in York for 20 plus years, the majority of my close friends are York City supporters, a number of them had informed me prematch that they were utterly disillusioned by the current City side and would not be attending.

It appears many more York fans are in the same boat as after setting up my flag on the increasingly crumbling away end, I became aware of the number of fans inside the stadium – or rather the lack of them. There was a decent number as always present from Oxford and I saw the familiar sight of the Lincoln Yellows setting up their flag as well as some of the Ultras and the numerous other diehards who had amazingly (or stupidly – you decide) made the long journey north on a Tuesday night. It wasn’t long before Mr Beasley himself ended up stood alongside me – a complete coincidence I hasten to add rather than an arranged meeting of RageOnline writers.

We started the game very well, Danny Rose had a great chance that just ended up over the York cross bar via a defender whilst the combination of Roofe, Hylton and O’Dowda was already proving to be too much for the York back four to handle. For the past few seasons, York have insisted on having a big lump at the back – in a previous fixture it was John McCombe – this time it was Dave Winfield. I’m (reasonably) reliably informed that Mr Winfield was one of the signings that Gary Waddock had lined up before everything changed in summer 2014. From this viewing, thank goodness everything did change! Winfield lumbered about and on numerous times had to be helped out by his defensive colleagues.

It was no surprise that we took the lead after around 10 minutes, great work by Johnny Mullins won the ball back midway inside the York half, a lovely ball from Liam Sercombe found Hylton, who dissected two York defenders, knocked the ball past the oncoming goalkeeper and calmly held his nerve to slot the ball home. We should have gone on to kill the game as we had a lot of possession and were dominating the game. The longer this went on without doubling our lead however and you knew York may have a chance. Equally though, they looked so toothless that you could only see an equaliser coming from a mistake.

Of course in an Oxford United like way, a mistake came and it was a big one. The bit of pressure all stemmed from a free kick on the right that was needlessly given away by O’Dowda, Sam Slocombe had done really well to punch the original cross away and York’s captain Russ Penn should have done better when heading straight at Slocombe from the around the penalty spot. The pressure never really lifted and when Wright and Slocombe combined to muck up a nothing ball from a York midfielder, Rhys Turner was on hand to roll the ball into an empty net. In all honesty, whilst a goal was bad, on another day we could have ended up with a red card for the keeper and/or Jake Wright being stretchered off with a head injury. Instead we left the field at half-time with the score at 1-1.

York predictably stepped it up in the first 10 minutes of the second half, harrying us much quicker than in the first period. This made the game quite scrappy and favoured the home side. That being said, they only made one chance which Slocombe produced a good save to keep out of his net. Once we got in control of the game again, it seemed only a matter of time before a second goal would come. On 71 minutes it did come and it was that man Kemar Roofe. It was nowhere near as special as his 40 yarder at Brentford or his dipping curling 25 yarder at Bristol Rovers, in fact, the ball just hit him and flew into the net but it was celebrated with as much jubilation as both of those combined.

Young Jordan Graham was given a 15 minute cameo to show what he could do and he looked bright. A couple of quick runs mixed with numerous stepovers left York defenders in his wake and on another day his curling shot may have hit the net rather than a defender. Apart from a shout for a penalty, (which looked reasonable) York didn’t offer much threat and we managed to see out the game and could have had a third goal through Ryan Taylor.

Liam Sercombe had a fantastic game, I have written elsewhere that I can’t remember a box to box midfielder like him playing in a yellow shirt for a long time. Equally, George Baldock is the best right-back we have had in years. In fact, despite the mistake for the goal, the back four and goalkeeper looked very solid. Slocombe made three or four very good punches under immense pressure, his distribution was very good and he made one good sharp save. Hylton, Roofe and O’Dowda always posed a threat whilst Danny Rose and John Lundstram were neat and tidy on the ball.

We are playing some great football and look a dangerous side. We still haven’t given someone a real beating and still seem to lack the ability to really kill a game whilst on top and will this passing football be able to continue all the way through the winter months? The new surface at the Kassam will be beneficial in helping it to but will deep winter trips to Hartlepool and Wycombe allow it? We can only wait and see. The signs are positive, the side seems settled and we sit sixth in the league.

Roll on Accrington and I look forward to reading Paul’s views on both trips to the north on Sunday afternoon.