AFTER the FA Cup heroics of just four days earlier, it was an all too predictable a result and performance from York City on their first trip to Nene Park.

The Minstermen stuck rigidly to their season-long script of following-up a positive performance with a negative and were as far removed from the five-star display produced against Grimsby as could be possible.

From the super-slick to the sluggish, it was a fall from grace so steep the thump as they crash-landed would no doubt have been heard back in North Yorkshire.

Of course, City were bound to suffer some form of Cup hang-over. The lung-busting efforts of midweek would have sapped the strength from Samson.

But what was particularly frustrating was that Rushden never had to rise above the ordinary to claim a comfortable looking victory. It is perhaps a telling statistic that City conceded only two fouls in the first-half and just five in the whole game.

No one wants to see a team of hatchet men and cloggers, but a ruthless, mean, win-at-all-costs streak is definitely missing.

Football being football, there remain plenty of 'if onlys' City could point to in their defence as the game centred on three match-defining incidents.

The first saw all their pre-match planning swept away within the first four minutes when City conceded an early goal.

Struggling to deal with a ball lumped forward, Gary Hobson's resultant back pass was too high for Alan Fettis to control and the ball was hacked for a corner.

From Paul Hall's inswinger Onandi Lowe's shot was blocked in an almighty six-yard box scramble but Duane Darby pounced quickest to ram the ball into the roof of the net.

What followed was a complete non-event from both sides.

Rushden did little to spice up an alarmingly dull affair and had City not been a goal down that may well have suited them.

The problem was, City were a goal down and yet were still playing like a side setting their stall out for a point.

Lee Nogan and Michael Proctor did their best to inject some pace and passion, the latter coming closest to forcing an equaliser on the half-hour mark when he skipped through the Rushden defence but failed to lift the ball over Billy Turley in the home goal.

But with the midfield sitting on top of the City defence they were all too often isolated and left to plough lonely furrows.

However, at least half-time offered the chance to regroup and start afresh still only a goal adrift.

But then came the second telling blow as with just seconds remaining another costly lapse of concentration enabled Rushden to double their advantage and increase the size of the Minstermen's task considerably.

Full-back Gary Setchell was given far too much room and space to cross from the left and pick out midfielder Michael McElhatton, who timed his run to perfection to send a looping header over Fettis.

The third major talking point came within minutes of the start of the second half.

An uphill task suddenly became a mountain of Everest proportions when Chris Smith was dismissed for hauling down Darby on the edge of the penalty area as the former Hull striker raced clear.

It looked harsh on the young defender, who seemed to have won the ball yet, perhaps tellingly, didn't complain.

And it was definitely harsh on City - Darby looked at least five yards offside when he latched on to a hopeful punt forward but was waved on his way by match referee Alan Butler.

Any hopes of City staging a stirring fighback had disappeared along with the linesman's flag, but if anything the Minstermen played better thereafter and at least showed some adventure and stomach for the fight.

Richard Cooper began snapping in midfield and substitute Peter Duffield came within a whisker of clawing a goal back only for his snap-shot to take a deflection and clip the post.

But as the clock ticked down and a weary City wilted Rushden restored order.

Fortunately, Fettis was at his imperious best to repel a hat-trick of shots but even City's number one could do nothing as Rushden got their third.

Andy Burgess whipped in a great cross from the left that dissected the City defence and Lowe was able to thump his header home from six yards.

It was almost as thumping as City's fall from grace.

Fact file:

Rushden:

Scorers: Darby 4, McElhatton 45, Lowe 87m

Turley, Sambrook, Hunter, Underwood, Setchell, Hall, Butterworth (Hanlon 82), McElhatton, Gray (Burgess 76), Lowe, Darby (Partridge 67)

Subs, not used: Pennock, Douglas

Bookings: Hunter 60m (foul)

Sent-off: None

City: Fettis 7, Edmondson 6, Smith 6, Basham 6, Hobson 6, Potter 6, Cooper 6, Richardson 5 (Mathie 72m), Bullock 6, Nogan 6 (Duffield 46m, 6), Proctor 7 Subs, not used: Howarth, Stamp, Fox. Bookings: Basham 63m (foul). Sent-off: Smith 47m (serious foul play)

Attendance: 4,605

Referee: Alan Butler (Notts)

Updated: 11:10 Monday, January 21, 2002