YORK City moved to within one game of a club record after racking up their 34th game without an away win at Bromley.

Goals from Jack Holland, George Porter and Adam Cunnington secured a comfortable 3-0 victory for the hosts, meaning the current City team is on the cusp of taking an unwanted place in the Bootham Crescent history books, alongside the players managed by Denis Smith and Bobby Saxton between 1986 and 1987.

That run was finally ended by a 2-1 FA Cup replay victory at then non-League minnows Burton Albion.

This City side, who now lie second-bottom in the National League standings themselves, must attempt to halt their sorry sequence, meanwhile, at promotion hopefuls Tranmere next weekend to avoid the ignominy of emulating their predecessors from 29 years ago.

The Minstermen’s loyal supporters will again travel more in hope than expectation, having left Bromley dismayed and despairing.

While this setback might not have been as crushingly catastrophic as the 6-1 debacle at a then win-less Guiseley, who incidentally visit Bootham Crescent on Tuesday night, the air of resignation and acceptance of defeat that characterised the visitors’ display in this match was almost just as perturbing.

At no point in the afternoon did any City player visibly demand better standards from a team-mate and each sloppy goal was conceded with the lack of a demonstrable argument or inquest, which must have been intolerable for the away fans whose pride and passion for their club demands that they continue taking to the road almost 15 months since seeing the team taste victory on their travels.

This latest loss also clearly exposed the problems Gary Mills continues to face eight win-less games into his second spell as Minstermen chief.

Extraordinarily, Mills now finds himself with just one recognised centre half in Matt Fry on the books and his underwhelming campaign means he was placed behind converted-midfielder Yan Klukowski and full-backs Shaun Rooney and Sean Newton in the pecking order for a spot in the visitors’ three-man defence at Hayes Lane.

That personnel, used in a 3-5-2 formation, did not deliver either, though, with home striker Oluwatobi Sho-Silva causing countless problems with his pace, power and direct running.

Two more goals, meanwhile, were conceded from set-pieces, taking the tally to five in the last couple of games, as the side’s dead-ball frailties were fully preyed upon by the Kent hosts.

At the other end of the pitch, Charlie Cooper headed against the inside of a post in the first half, but the Ravens’ keeper Alan Julian only made his first and final save of the afternoon from Scott Fenwick on 88 minutes.

All in all, it was a performance that, following a string of games against some of the division’s leading lights, underlined the gargantuan task Mills faces to turn the club’s fortunes around in time to stave off the unthinkable threat of relegation to National League North.

Bromley’s expectations are probably being exceeded by their current mid-table berth, but they were stronger in all departments than the away team with their top-three wage budget.

City went into the game having played 57 different players in 2016, but debuts for new signings Jake Charles and Luke Woodland, as well as second-half sub Alex Bruton, added little variety to the team’s play.

For the third game in succession, Mills’ men conceded from the first on-target attempt they faced when Holland planted a header across goal into recalled keeper Kyle Letheren’s bottom corner from Blair Turgott’s left-wing free kick.

Promising openings were then squandered by the Minstermen as a brisk counter attack, led by Robbie McDaid chasing Rooney’s long ball down the line, ended with Cooper’s scuffed 15-yard shot deflecting wide off team-mate Simon Heslop.

Charles also dragged an opportunity wide from a similar distance after being played in through the left channel by Alex Whittle, whose great run and cross then teed up Cooper for a diving header that beat Julian but bounced back into play off the inside of an upright.

Skipper Heslop went on to hoof a 20-yard attempt out of the ground before the home side doubled their advantage from their second attack of the game on 25 minutes.

Joe Anderson’s forward pass dissected the City defence far too easily and Porter tucked a low eight-yard shot past Letheren after bursting through the left channel.

At the other end, Rooney rose high six yards from goal to head over Cooper’s right-wing free kick, while David Martin brushed past Woodland to unleash a 25-yard drive that Letheren parried, before recovering to keep out Turgott’s follow-up effort.

After the break, Holland might have got his second of the match, but shot wide following indecision from Letheren and, after Danny Holmes volleyed off target from the edge of the box following a Whittle raid and Charles failed to test Julian from a similar distance, the City keeper was back in action again to thwart Martin and Turgott with another double save.

An unmarked Cunnington made it 3-0, however, when he beat Letheren from eight yards after meeting Turgott’s left-wing, 78th-minute corner with his head.

As the game entered its final throes, Fenwick’s 25-yard attempt was then comfortably gathered by Julian, as the visitors made it 16 matches without a win – just five short of another club record, set in 2004 by Chris Brass’ relegated Football League strugglers.

City

Kyle Letheren: 6 – showed moments of indecision, but kept the score down with de-cent saves

Shaun Rooney: 5 – had his pocket picked a couple of times, but showed some desire

Yan Klukowski: 4 – had no answer to combat Sho-Silva’s pace and withdrawn early in second half

Sean Newton: 5 – given odd problem by speedy attack while distribution was generally sound

Danny Holmes: 4 – found it hard to provide penetration from his position at right-wing back

Simon Heslop: 4 – skipper struggled to inspire team from middle of the pitch and looked deflated

Luke Woodland: 4 – game largely passed him by and he had very little influence on proceedings

Charlie Cooper: 5 – no physical match for Bromley but promised with his attacking link-up play prior to half-time exit

STAR MAN Alex Whittle: 6 – team’s biggest threat going forward with his positive raids down the flank

Jake Charles: 5 – willing target but could not get better of muscular Bromley back-line

Robbie McDaid: 4 – virtually anonymous and gave hosts little cause for concern before being subbed

Substitutes: Scott Fenwick 4 – frustrating (for Cooper, 46), Callum Rzonca 5 – busy (for Klukowski, 57), Alex Bruton 5 – keen (for McDaid, 68).

Subs not used: Matty Dixon, Matt Fry.

Bromley

Alan Julian, Daniel Johnson, Rob Swaine (Ben Chorley, 59), Jack Holland, Joe Anderson, George Porter (Louis Dennis, 78), Lee Minshull, Connor Dymond, Blair Turgott, David Martin, Oluwatobi Sho-Silva (Adam Cunnington, 70).

Subs not used: Jordan Wynter, Jordan Higgs.

Referee: Adrian Quelch rating: 7/10 – maintained good control of the game

Booked: Julian 38, Martin 41

Attendance: 1,203 (263 from City)

Shots on target: Bromley 10, City 2

Shots off target: Bromley 3, City 6

Corners: Bromley 6, City 2

Fouls conceded: Bromley 11, City 13

Offside: Bromley 4, City 4