A FIFTH defeat in six games for York City, but this was a match when they could quite easily have snatched a point and possibly all three.

City, badly depleted by injuries and suspensions and with a patched-up defence, rarely got close to the snap and crackle of their pin-sharp attacks of eight days earlier against Mansfield.

It could have been 3-0 to Southend. It could have been 3-0 to City. It was that sort of match. But City have certainly played worse and won, and they deserved something from the game for their more considered football.

In what has been a familiar story of the season so far, City failed to turn plenty of possession, particularly in the second half, into goals.

But unlike their last 1-0 reverse away from home, at Hartlepool, chances were created and good ones at that.

City passed the ball better than a more direct Southend, who after a whirlwind opening quarter that gave them the lead, settled for eking rather then carving out chances

A nervy opening aside, City were more bright and breezy but lacked the fluidity and the decisiveness in front of goal that had seen off the Stags so impressively.

The Shrimpers, playing in front of a new manager and an excited crowd, were always going to start the match at a high tempo.

Martin Carruthers, in an ominous sign of things to come, got on the goal side of makeshift centre-half Colin Alcide to latch on to Martyn Booty's long ball and volley an ambitious effort over Alan Fettis and the City bar.

Garry Cross then beat City new boy Neville Stamp in the air, the ball falling again to Carruthers who this time hit the target but couldn't beat Fettis with a near-post snap shot before Cross himself cut inside Stamp to hit a low drive straight at Fettis again.

City had hardly touched the ball and looked decidedly shaky with every Shrimpers' advance.

United, sharp in the tackle, looked more hungry, more up for it and yet City's first real foray into the Southend half almost spawned a goal.

Steve Agnew, spotting Graham Potter isolated at the far post, fired in a quick free-kick. Potter beat Booty to the ball, heading it back across the face of the goal.

Alex Mathie ghosted in front of a pensive Southend defence to volley the ball on to the bar.

It was tough luck. A goal then would surely have settled down a City unsure of the reliability of its patched-up rearguard.

A lack of conviction at the back was all too evident when Southend took the lead.

David Lee's ball down the line saw Carruthers again get on the wrong side of Alcide.

The one-time City player brushed off the striker-cum-defender with a stiff shoulder challenge and advanced unopposed into the City area.

Carruthers looked certain to shoot but showed a cool head to square the ball into the path of striker partner Trevor Fitzpatrick, who didn't have to break stride to tuck home in the corner from 12 yards.

Having seen City capitulate on more than one occasion this season after going a goal down and now with a brittle looking back four, the fear of another goal feast for the opposition was real.

Cross forced another sharp intake of breath when he got in between Alcide and Stamp to head just wide from Whelan's hopeful cross.

But City gradually steadied their rocking ship and established themselves on an even footing.

As the half-hour mark approached, Kieron Durkan, so far a peripheral figure, had City's first effort on target when his 30-yard free-kick, which skimmed along the surface and through the wall, required a safe pair of hands from Andy Woodman, before Mathie flicked on a header at the near post that threatened to drop in at the far.

Problems still persisted at the back - Leo Roget headed wide from less than ten yards while Barry Jones did well to head over Scott Forbes' dangerous inswinging free-kick - but still City should have gone in at the break on level terms.

The best chance fell to David McNiven. Woodman spilled Lee Bullock's low drive into the path of the striker but from inside the six-yard area he pushed the ball wide.

McNiven's frivolity didn't stop there.

Stamp's throw was cleverly flicked on by Mathie leaving his strike partner clear on goal but instead of shooting McNiven chose to square the ball and could only hit a retreating Southend defender.

City's promising finish at the end of the first fostered hope for the second half but it was Southend who could have doubled their advantage within minutes of the restart.

Cross almost made City pay for failing to clear, at the second attempt, a corner and fired in a stinging volley that Fettis did well to parry. The ball sat up for Roget but the defender could only head the ball over from an acute angle.

Southend, a goal up, seemed content to try to catch City on the break.

It was a tactic that could have reaped dividends on more than one occasion - Fitzpatrick guilty of missing their best chance when, unmarked at the far post, he lifted David Lee's whipped-in centre over the meeting of post and bar.

But it was City, with Durkan increasingly involved, who created the better chances.

Mathie stretched but missed heading home Stamp's cross at the far post by inches before Durkan flashed a low centre across the face of the goal which needed just the lightest of touches to bring the score levels but evaded Bullock at the far post.

Potter played in the first real channel ball for Mathie that threatened to squirm between Roget and his 'keeper but Woodman did well to smother the ball at the City striker's feet.

A Mathie dummy let the ball run kindly to Bullock. His first shot was blocked by Forbes and after taking a moment to find his bearings allowed Phil Whelan across to charge down his second attempt.

City, backed by a vocal away following, were turning the screw but couldn't find the final blow.

United could have made certain of their win in the dying embers.

Substitute Rob Newman managed to find the back of the net but was adjudged to have brought down Fettis's attempted clearance with his hand before City substitute James Turley upended Forbes for what looked a good case for a penalty.

Roots Hall, sensing it was going to be their day, rocked to thunderous applause from all corners of the ground. David Webb's welcome home party had swung into gear and City were uninvited guests.

City Match Facts

Nationwide League Division Three

Saturday, October 14, 2000

Southend Utd 1, York City 0

YORK CITY: Alan Fettis 7, Barry Jones 5, Matt Hocking 8, Colin Alcide 6, Neville Stamp 7 (James Turley 84mins), Kieron Durkan 6, Lee Bullock 6, Steve Agnew 7, Graham Potter 7, Alex Mathie 6, David McNiven 5 (Christian Fox 62mins, 6).

Subs, not used: Russ Howarth, Scott Jordan, Marc Thompson.

Booked: None

Sent off: None

SOUTHEND: Andy Woodman, Martyn Booty, Damon Searle, Leo Roget, Phil Whelan, David Lee, Kevin Maher, Scott Forbes, Garry Cross (David McSweeney 72mins), Martin Carruthers, Trevor Fitzpatrick (Rob Newman 89mins).

Subs, not used: Mark Prudhoe, David Morley, Leon Johnson.

Booked: Roget 29mins (foul), Whelan 56mins (dissent)

Scorer: Fitzpatrick 14min

Evening Press/Unique Pub Man of the Match: Matt Hocking. Growing in confidence with every game. Three fresh faces alongside him, but remained unruffled and rarely put a foot wrong.

Southend Match Stats

Half-time 1

Corners 6

Shots on target 4

Fouls committed 10

Sent off: None

York Match Stats

Half-time 0

Corners 4

Shots on target 1

Fouls committed 6

Sent off: None

Attendance: 4,724

Referee: Keith Hill (Royston, Herts)

City's next match: Tuesday, October 17: Lincoln City v York City, at Sincil Bank, ko 7.45pm. Nationwide League Division Three.