York City manager Terry Dolan breathed a huge sigh of relief at half-time in last night's prestige friendly against Leeds United at Bootham Crescent.

His starting line up against the Premiership giants came through the 45 minutes unscathed and looks certain to be the team to kick-off against Rushden and Diamonds in Saturday's Division Three opener.

Dolan protected his 'first half XI' by putting on an entirely different team after the break as a strong Leeds side ran out 4-0 winners and provided plenty of entertainment for the 5,125 crowd.

The City senior side did well to contain a Leeds team boasting seven internationals to a 1-0 interval lead after they were forced to defend for long periods.

Michael Proctor made his debut up front alongside Lee Nogan and the pair did fairly well with limited possession, most of it supplied by right wing back Darren Edmondson.

But it will be City's defending from which Dolan derived most pleasure as they were given a rigorous examination by the skills of red-hot striker Robbie Keane.

Gary Hobson and Mike Basham both made last gasp tackles to halt the Republic of Ireland forward while Matt Hocking coolly mopped up the spare bits and pieces.

But Keane, playing off the cuff, did puncture the City backline on 27 minutes, slipping through a great reverse pass for Alan Maybury to beat Alan Fettis from 12 yards out.

S Club 7's "Don't Stop Moving" was still belting out over the tannoy as play resumed in the second half and Keane took his cue.

After knocking a Jason Wilcox cross over the bar from five yards, he turned supplier again with a perfectly weighted 55th minute pass for Jacob Burns to fire past Russell Howarth.

The £12million man then netted a stunning solo goal on 68 minutes. Spinning away from his marker near the centre circle in City's half his quick footwork and direct running left three more defenders floundering before clipping the ball home.

Four minutes later the Dubliner produced an outrageous dummy to leave Peter Vasey trailing and ran 30 yards before finishing in style for his eighth goal this pre-season.

But City's kids stuck to their task and the avalanche did not materialise as Howarth distinguished himself with a couple of fine saves.

Marc Salvati had his moments in attack for city, crashing a header against Danny Milosevic's bar and beating the Australian Olympic keeper near the end, only to see his 25 yard effort come back off a post.

York City (first half): Fettis, Edmondson, Hocking, Basham, Hobson, Potter, Bullock, Brass, Richardson, Nogan, Proctor.

York City (second half): Howarth, Wise, Vasey, Wood, Stamp, Salvati, Cooper, O'Kane, Boyce, Duffield, Emmerson.

Leeds United: Milosevic, Kelly, Duberry, Hay, Cansdell-Sheriff (Richardson 75), Maybury, Burns (McMaster 82), McPhail, Wilcox (Singh 69), Johnson (Folan 62), Keane. Sub (not used): Allaway.

Goals: Maybury 28, Burns 55, Keane 68, 72

Referee: Matt Messias (York)

Attendance: 5,125

Updated: 09:03 Thursday, August 09, 2001