MANAGER Terry Dolan refused to let York City's late equaliser paper over the cracks as the Minstermen began the new season with a 1-1 draw at Macclesfield.

The draw, courtesy of Peter Duffield's stoppage time goal, is only the second time in seven years that City have managed to avoid defeat on the opening day of the season.

But Dolan, who suffered the wrath of disgruntled fans during the game, admitted his side's display was not up to scratch.

"We didn't pass the ball well enough all over the pitch," he said.

"That was the result of us not getting the ball into the attacking areas often enough.

"We couldn't sustain any pressure because we kept giving the ball away. We can pass the ball better than that."

Dolan maintained the positives for City were the fact Macclesfield were unable to create many chances of their own and that his side at least underlined their battling qualities.

"There are two sides to a game of football," he explained.

"When you are not doing that side of the game right you have to make sure you concentrate on the other.

"We made one mistake for the goal but we kept at it and stuck in there and got the goal in the 95th minute."

"Every game is different and we are just pleased to have got a point out of it away from home in the first match."

In another plus for the City boss, no fresh injuries were picked up while Darren Edmondson came through 20 minutes unscathed. Edmondson, who has been plagued by a hamstring strain in pre-season, now looks almost certain to start Tuesday's first home game of the campaign against Shrewsbury.

Updated: 12:00 Monday, August 12, 2002