YORK CITY will be bidding to snap the longest losing run in the League Cup when Doncaster Rovers arrive at Bootham Crescent tonight.

Though it has held various guises over the last 17 years since the Minstermen last tasted success, one fact in the Capital One Cup has remained a constant - first round agony for York supporters.

Bearing that mind that City have spent a significant proportion of the last two decades outside of the Football League pyramid, the club still heads the list of outfits that have suffered consecutive opening match defeats in the competition.

York last progressed into the second round back in August 1997 when Steve Bushell, Gary Bull and Tony Barras were on target in a 3-2 two-legged aggregate win over Port Vale.

The recent introduction of seeding, which saw York face Rovers on their return to the Football League in 2012 - a game they eventually lost on penalties - and meet Championship side Burnley, whose 4-0 win at Bootham Crescent was indication of their strength as they moved on the way to gaining Premier League promotion, has not helped.

But York have now lost eight consecutive first round League Cup ties, one ahead of Chesterfield and Dagenham with Oldham back in fourth with five straight losses.

For a side which has such a glorious tradition in the competition, thanks to victories over Manchester United and Everton in successive years in 1995 and 1996, it is a concerning recent trend and one they will be determined to snap on home ground against League One Rovers, who were relegated from the Championship.


Consecutive first round League Cup defeats

1 YORK CITY 8; 2 Chesterfield, Dagenham both 7; 4 Oldham 5; 5 Colchester, Hartlepool, Portsmouth, Port Vale, Southend, Wimbledon all 3.

City’s League Cup first round record

1998/99 - lost 4-1 (Neil Thompson) on aggregate to Sunderland
1999/00 - lost 3-1 (Rodney Rowe) on aggregate to Wigan
2000/01 - lost 5-1 (Barry Jones) on aggregate to Stoke
2001/02 - lost 6-5 on penalties to Crewe, after 2-2 (Lee Bullock, Chris Brass) draw
2002/03 - lost 1-0 to Sheffield United
2003/04 - lost 2-1 (Dave Merris) to Rotherham
2012/13 - lost 4-2 on penaties to Doncaster after 1-1 (Michael Coulson) draw
2013/14 - lost 4-0 to Burnley