York City lost their first pre-season friendly last night, going down 1-0 to Scottish First Division outfit Raith Rovers, writes Dave Stanford.

A left-foot shot from Northern Ireland international and former St Johnstone striker George O'Boyle on 60 minutes proved decisive.

City manager Terry Dolan was not unduly concerned by the defeat after making good his vow to give as many players as possible a full 90 minutes.

Said the City boss: "Raith are a couple of weeks ahead of us fitness-wise so we expected it to be a good work out and that is what we got.

"We have got to push on now."

City's best chance fell to Peter Duffield, who crashed a shot against the crossbar on 76 minutes then saw his follow-up superbly saved.

The City chief, who revealed his bid to bring trialist Aidan O'Kane back to Bootham Crescent next week is "progressing", brought on Leigh Wood for Gary Hobson just past the hour mark as the former Hull defender reported a tightening of his thigh.

In a further boost, Mike Basham's injury, picked up when the central defender twisted his ankle in a rabbit hole, is not as serious as first thought.

York City's intermediates continued their winning ways when they made it four victories from four outings with an 8-0 hammering of the Harrogate Army Apprentices' College.

Marc Thompson, scored two goals in his 'guest' appearance for the City youngsters with trainees Luke Ibbotson and Levent Yalcin also scoring a brace apiece. The other goals were bagged by Matthew McCabe and Marvin Boyce.

Updated: 12:34 Wednesday, July 25, 2001