HAVING been taunted by Harrogate chants of “You’re Just a Town Full of Tea Shops” – a case of the pot calling the kettle black if ever there was one – York City supporters left Wetherby Road in need of a much stiffer beverage.

Prior to kick-off, the sell-out contest had been derided by some of a City persuasion as the North Yorkshire “El Crapico” in painful recognition of the depths to which their team have plumbed following back-to-back relegations from the Football League and Conference.

Deservedly losing, therefore, to the neighbouring hosts, regardless of their top-of-the-table status, was always going to be even more difficult to swallow.

Little more than three years ago, the Minstermen were sitting 50 places above Harrogate in the football pyramid.

Following a 2-0 defeat in the first-ever league meeting between the two clubs, however, City now trail Simon Weaver’s men by 11 points after only a dozen fixtures in the sixth tier of the English game, as the one-time Championship level club’s hopes of National League North automatic promotion appear in danger of disappearing faster than that first pint to drown the supporters’ sorrows on Saturday night.

Tough times indeed – including for manager Gary Mills.

After bringing a little respectability back to Bootham Crescent with top-ten form during 2017 and an FA Trophy final Wembley win, despite the ultimate failure to avoid relegation, the City chief is now coming under fire from a certain section of frustrated fans, who joined in with more goading home chants of “You’re Getting Sacked in the Morning” at the final whistle.

Mills’ players, of course, should have shouldered some of that ire too, with several not meeting standards demanded in any match, let alone a derby clash – however lowly ranked in the hierarchy of this country’s crunch contests. Harrogate were faster and played with more purpose from the first whistle, epitomised by the fluid movement of the home midfielders compared to their Minstermen counterparts and the towering headers won by centre-back Terry Kennedy early on.

The heart of City’s defence, meanwhile, was exposed far too easily for Joe Leesley and Liam Agnew’s goals.

In fact, the visitors fell behind just seconds after Alex Whittle had called keeper James Belshaw into his best save of the game.

Whittle’s firm 12-yard drive, after Sean Newton had headed down a Josh Law cross, was parried away by the former Walsall trainee, before Jordan Thewlis broke clear at the other end and, after rounding Jon Worsnop, tumbled over the 34-year-old keeper’s outstretched right arm.

Striking partner Leesley then drove the subsequent 16th-minute spot kick firmly down the middle of the goal as Worsnop dived to his right.

Moments later, Warren Burrell glanced a header wide from George Thomson’s corner, while left-back Whittle remained the visitors’ sole goal threat for the opening half-hour, curling over from 15 yards after Simon Heslop had spread play to Law.

Louis Almond went on to fire a full volley out of the ground and Hamza Bencherif leant back and hit the roof of the stand from eight yards after Law had won an aerial ball following Newton’s long throw.

But a deflected Thewlis attempt went close after City’s defenders were again conspicuous by their absence to afford him too much space in the away box.

In stoppage time at the end of the first period, Belshaw was forced into his second save but Newton’s shot was at a comfortable height and pace for him to gather.

Six minutes into the restart, Mills’ team then fell further behind when Bencherif failed to close down Agnew and his 15-yard shot beat Worsnop following a deflection off half-time replacement Jassem Sukar. In response, Almond curled a couple of efforts off target – the second into the trees behind the home goal.

But Harrogate might have extended their lead when Thewlis prodded wide after Josh Falkingham had ghosted behind a ball-watching Sukar and reached the byline.

Leesley’s drive from an unfavourable angle also forced Worsnop into his only save of the afternoon at the near post.

City came closest to getting on the scoresheet in the 71st minute when Newton drilled a low ten-yard shot against Belshaw’s left-hand upright after Amari Morgan-Smith had won a header in the hosts’ penalty area.

Belshaw went on to push away Almond’s diagonal drive and, after Ben Parker curled over for Weaver’s team, Newton had two final late chances.

The first cleared the crossbar from 20 yards and the next, from a similar range, was collected by Belshaw at the second attempt before Morgan-Smith could pounce.

Progressing in the FA Cup against a South Shields team, currently topping Tadcaster Albion’s division, is now essential for the same angry scenes at Harrogate not to be repeated in the north-east.

City

Jon Worsnop 6

Josh Law 6

Hamza Bencherif 5

Dan Parslow 6

Alex Whittle 6

Simon Heslop 5

Theo Wharton 5

Sean Newton 6

Louis Almond 6

Kaine Felix 5

Amari Morgan-Smith 5

Substitutes: Jassem Sukar 5 – nervy (for Law, 46), Adriano Moke 6 – drive (for Felix, 46), Connor Smith 6 – effort (for Wharton, 70).

Subs not used: Ryan Edmondson, Luke Simpson.

City star man: Whittle – matched purpose and tempo of home side when too few of his team-mates did

Harrogate

James Belshaw, Ryan Fallowfield, Terry Kennedy, Warren Burrell, Ben Parker, George Thomson, Josh Falkingham, Jack Emmett, Liam Agnew (Jack Vann, 77), Joe Leesley, Jordan Thewlis (Noel Burdett, 85).

Subs not used: Joe Cracknell, Ben Middleton, Mitchell Curry.

Harrogate star man: Kennedy – commanding at the back

Referee: Scott Simpson rating: 7/10 – coped well in derby atmosphere

Booked: Worsnop 15

Sent off: None

Attendance: 2,800

Shots on target: Harrogate 3, City 5

Shots off target: Harrogate 4, City 6

Corners: Harrogate 6, City 2

Fouls conceded: Harrogate 18, City 5

Offside: Harrogate 2, City 2