Sad City slide towards dark abyss

The wheels are off and York City are careering down relegation row at juggernaut speed.

High time: City's Richard Cresswell, centre, and Mark Tinkler go up for a high ball

Losing ground: Mark Tinkler is given the slip by Rovers forward Jamie Cureton

Never mind the end of News at Ten, Minstermen in Two is in danger of coming to a finale and without the bongs to boot.

And never mind a long haul to Bristol. Unless City get a win mighty quick they are going to be pondering such enticing destinations further down the west side line as Exeter, Torquay and Plymouth.

Dispirited City's crash through the Second Division continued apace on Saturday. They are like a cartoon cat clattering down the rungs of a wobbly ladder beneath which lies the drop into the basement.

Like said cat the Minstermen just cannot hunt down their quarry, theirs being three points that would signal an upturn in confidence as well as fortunes. Sadly they don't look remotely like altering that exasperating trend as any semblance of danger to opponents' defences has vanished.

If you don't buy a ticket you won't win the lottery, goes an old saying. City aren't even getting into the shop.

As statistics go, the one that so sharply illustrates the bluntness of the men in red is just three shots on target against Rovers. Hardly a return worth Pirates' goalkeeper Lee Jones getting out of bed for, save for histrionics after damaging his left ankle yet kicking the ball so far upfield he must have had a horseshoe wrapped in the strapping.

But if his injury was genuine it was even more of an embarrassment for City. He was extended just once in the entire second-half, Andy McMillan driving straight into his midriff.

City were entitled to one other direct effort. But inexplicably referee Ray Olivier did not believe the shoulder-hold on substitute Rodney Rowe by Steve Foster constituted a penalty. Everyone else in the ground did, even the steamiest of 'Gasheads' as the Rovers faithful are known.

Olivier said no and the drama really began. Mark Tinkler, already cautioned in the first-half, was the most vociferous in dashing to protest. There was but one outcome. Olivier's award was another booking, and the third sending-off this term for the City man, who at least burns with a passion to try to halt the free-fall.

Had the spot-kick been sanctioned, then scored, City would have had close on 12 minutes to retrieve a second goal, Jones' injury necessitating almost six minutes of stoppage time.

But that should not be allowed to mask another dismal attacking display. Front-men Richard Cresswell and Martin Carruthers worked with the attitude of Trojans, as did Rowe, whose cameo appearance from the bench was feisty. But all three are trying to make a meal out of scrapings.

Unlike the first half of the season City are slumped in a creative trough. Not once did a pass from the visitors open up the Rovers rearguard for a red-shirt to pursue.

City had possession, especially in their best spell before half-time. But already a goal down - now, isn't that a surprise - the confidence to go that extra yard or try an ambitious defence-shredder has gone. Safety-first is leading to major peril.

In a bid to emulate the previous away weekend when a back-five represented a solid core, City restored Wayne Hall and Martin Garratt to the side in place of new Darlington man Gary Himsworth and seemingly anywhere-but-York bound Tony Barras.

The ploy worked until Rovers' first corner after 16 minutes. That provoked a panic when a flurry of close-range efforts were blocked, the last on the line by Hall.

But the barnstorming Jason Roberts latched on to a hesitancy to whip the ball low past Andy Warrington. The City 'keeper was not to be menaced again that half, yet City were back in catch-up kingdom.

Parity came closest when Cresswell's deflected shot was tipped over by Jones. Shortly after the same player induced a save by Jones' studs as City's ace lashed the ball at him from a narrow angle.

Warrington though was the far busier after the break. His rapier-like reflexes kept the score down to manageable levels, though he had not an earthly with the second Pirates' goal. Substitute Nathan Ellington wellied a 20-yard cross-shot that flew in. Oh for such crisp simplicity from the men in red.

Match Facts

17min: Rovers' hit-man Jason Roberts rifles in the opener. 1-0.

31min: A shot from Richard Cresswell is tipped over by Lee Jones after taking a deflection off Rovers' defender Andy Thomson.

40min: Cresswell stretches Jones again after being fed by Alan Pouton. From the corner Pouton glances wide.

63min: Roberts' rasper collides with an upright bouncing straight back to City goalkeeper Andy Warrington.

72min: Warrington makes a double save that denies Jamie Cureton.

76min: Rovers' 17-year-old substitute Nathan Ellington guides a missile drive into the net. 2-0.

81min: Warrington dives to his left to keep out a curling shot from Ellington.

82min: The City 'keeper is alert again to beat down a stinging shot from Roberts.

83min: Rodney Rowe is crudely impeded, but penalty claim is ignored. Mark Tinkler gets his second caution and is dismissed.85min: Shot from Andy McMillan is comfortably pouched by Jones.

Tap & Spile Man of the match

Andy Warrington: Barely exercised in the first-half, his reflexes were at their sharpest after half-time to ensure City did not endure an even heavier reverse. No-one more deserves a clean sheet.

Fans' panel 1998-99

Are York City destined for the drop?

Julian Holden, Age 32

No. We'll finish fifth from bottom like we always do. If you look back we have never been in the actual relegation zone. We'll finish fifth and the board and management will be happy with that.

Gary Chatterton, Age 31

If we don't turn it around quickly enough then yes. I can't see another way out. We have got to be looking for wins from our next two games against Blackpool and Notts County at least.

Gary Duncanson, Age 18

If we carry on like Saturday, then yes. There did not seem to be any heart at all. If we don't get a win against Blackpool tomorrow then we will go down. We need a change in managment.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.