MIDFIELDER Lee Bullock is looking for York City to bounce back quickly after tasting defeat in the league for the first time this season.

Bullock admitted City had fallen way below their high standards in Saturday's 3-0 reverse to Lincoln City at Sincil Bank.

But the 22-year-old reckons the loss will provide the perfect spur when Rochdale visit Bootham Crescent on Saturday, with City anxious to show their previous unbeaten run was no fluke.

"If you had offered us 12 points from 15 at the start of the season we would have bitten your hand off and four wins from five is still a fantastic start," he told the Evening Press.

"We are going to have bad days but the important thing is we put it right on Saturday.

"It's a big test. We know we should bounce back and can bounce back and we want show the fans the performance at Lincoln really was just a one off."

Rochdale should offer City a complete contrast in style to the direct and forceful approach Lincoln.

Dale are now bossed by Alan Buckley, with the former Grimsby Town and Lincoln chief highly regarded for insisting his teams pass and move.

Dale's more subtle approach should suit City better, with City chief Chris Brass also trying to instil a similar possession game to that encouraged by Buckley.

City chief Brass, meanwhile, is hopeful of tying up an extended deal for central defender Richard Hope at the start of next week.

Saturday's encounter with Rochdale will bring the curtain down on Hope's current one-month contract.

In the wake of Scott Jones' departure from the club this week, keeping Hope, a left-sided central defender like Jones, at Bootham Crescent is a priority for Brass.

Preliminary talks were due to be staged later this week and are scheduled to be complete on Monday.

Brass, who will be available for Saturday after serving a three match ban, is hopeful skipper Darren Edmondson will have shaken off the calf strain which forced his substitution against Lincoln.

"It seems to have settled down," said the City chief. "Darren felt a twinge on Saturday and showed his experience by coming off straight away. Hopefully, we have nipped the problem in the bud."

Christian Fox could also be poised for a first team recall on Saturday after being ruled out since the opening day of the season at Carlisle United.

With no reserve game this week, Brass has, however, resisted the temptation to arrange a behind-closed-doors friendly with another club.

"We have got a small squad and it is not worth the risk of picking up injuries," explained the City player-boss, who will instead organise an 'in-house' practice match.

A City Junior Reds' club night will be staged in the Nestle Family Room at Bootham Crescent tonight, from 6pm to 8pm. It is hoped a number of City players will be in attendance.

Updated: 11:32 Wednesday, September 03, 2003