CITY of York found that measuring league form against their cup exploits is a worthless occupation.

After beating last season's Northern Counties premier division champions Sheffield in the National HA Cup last weekend, they fancied their chances of opening the new league campaign with a home win over Harrogate, a side they had drawn 0-0 with just three weeks ago in the Yorkshire Cup.

Instead their season got off to the worst possible start as they were hammered 5-1.

Harrogate were out of their blocks quickly and, though Mike Thornicroft was unlucky not to score for City from the short corners they forced, they could have few grumbles as they went into the second period trailing by three goals.

Mark Little did manage to reduce the arrears from a neat switch at a short corner routine but Harrogate took command in the closing stages and cruised to victory.

In division two east City II managed to take a point as they drew 1-1 at Tynemouth.

City started well enough when John Pickering came close to scoring, but were then pole-axed by a controversial opener for the home side with the ball being turned into the goal while City were still looking to the umpire after the ball had been played into the 'D' at a dangerous height.

They came close to equalising before half-time when Chris Wilson crashed a shot against the angle of post and crossbar and they carried that momentum into the second period and gained the draw when a superb run by Wilson saw him force his way into the 'D' and then unleash a belting angled shot into the top corner of the net.

It will have been scant consolation to the City first string that City III put Harrogate III to the sword, winning their Yorkshire League clash 7-0.

City dominated throughout but their opener was a scrappy affair with Peter Foulsham forcing the ball in from a goalmouth scramble.

Having broken the deadlock City swept forward and there were further goals from Sam Blackburn, Jason Bemrose and Ben Dutton before half-time.

The second half saw Alex Fletcher grab a couple of goals and Bemrose struck again to conclude the rout.

City IV found it hard going at Boston Spa II and succumbed to a 3-1 defeat.

Spa were two up by half-time and it needed a half-time shake up by skipper Mike Couttie to get his charges back in the game.

City asserted themselves and cut the deficit with a Malcolm Cossey goal but Spa hit a third just before the end.

City V made a powerful start to their league campaign with a comfortable 4-0 win over Hull University II.

They had to be patient as their efforts in the first half failed to produce a goal, but after the interval strikes from Roz Ramli (2), Alex Cockram and Richard Jenkin brought victory.

There was a league setback for City VII as they went down 3-1 at home to Boston Spa III.

They were not helped when they lost Phil Lancaster through injury and, though Dick Bowen bagged a second half goal, City found it too little too late.

For the City VI and VIII strings there was no league action but they faced each other in a practice match with the sixths running out 5-2 victors.

By half-time VI were five up with Clive Mills-Hicks notching a hat-trick, and Adam Jackson and Richard Turner-Smith also scoring, but in the second half newcomer David Da Silva fired up VIII and from his right wing crosses they hit back with goals from Sam Moore and Paddy Johnson.

In their youth development matches City's under-16s boys had mixed fortunes as they lost 1-0 to Boston Spa but then bounced back to beat Slazengers 1-0 with a goal from John Raper.

The under-12s girls team had an extended programme and ended their marathon with five wins and a draw from their six matches.

They opened with a 0-0 draw against Doncaster before victories against Bradford, 2-1; Driffield, 4-0; Wakefield, 3-0; Adel, 7-0 and Harrogate, 3-1. The goals were scored by Lucy Butcher (8), Amelia Smalley (5), Rose Evans (5) and Haley Wardle.