Chris Carruthers

Carruthers: York still in title race

York City full-back Chris Carruthers believes the Minstermen can maintain their impressive form and close the gap on Oxford United and league leaders Stevenage Borough.

Martin Foyle's Minstermen close the gap on second-placed Oxford to four points on Saturday with a 4-1 home victory over Hayes and Yeading United.

And Carruthers feels that York are well placed to take advantage if and when his former employers Oxford suffer a slip up.

He told The Press: "When I first came here I thought that, if we get things right and get results, you never know.

"It happens in football. A string of victories can close the gap and they won't win every game between now and the end of the season.

"There's always a chance and we've got to keep plugging away.

"It's still a tough ask to get promotion because there are a lot of games to be played. But, if we carry on the way we are doing, then even if we miss out on the automatic top spot, the play-offs might be a bit pot luck, but nobody will want to play us at home.

"It's always important to make your home ground a bit of a fortress and we have definitely done that. Teams don't like coming here and have struggled against us.

"Anything can then happen on the day if you get to Wembley. I'm here for the long haul now having signed until 2011 and I'm ambitious like the club, the gaffer and (assistant manager) Andy Porter.

"I want to be getting back into the Football League and that's the reason I came here."