AFTER the fire and brimstone, passing and passion of Saturday comes a night when City failed to spark into life, a night they will want to forget in a hurry.

Quite simply given the current climate, City looked a gallon or two short of a full tank.

The 2-0 reverse and display was all the more galling because in Saturday's sparkling showing against Scunthorpe, York proved themselves a good side.

Last night they looked decidedly ordinary. City's true standing probably lies somewhere in between.

To be fair, Rochdale looked organised, bright and industrious with two strikers in Clive Platt and Tony Ellis as good as any partnership in the division.

But particularly in the first half, York made it too comfortable for the visitors and only Kevin Hulme looked up for the fight as Dale won most of the battles and definitely the war.

Statistics can make telling reading and last night's proved a pertinent point.

The Minstermen enjoyed 11 corners compared to Rochdale's four but City could muster only one effort on target during the 90 minutes while Dale stretched Alan Fettis in the City goal no fewer than nine times.

It wasn't simply therefore that City didn't have possession, but when they did progress with any purpose they too often fluffed their lines as a sight of goal approached or fell victim to an assistant referee's offside flag.

Shame, because City started the match where they left off against Scunthorpe, with gusto to peg Dale back.

David McNiven earned a free-kick 25 yards out with a turn that saw him hauled down by David Bayliss.

Steve Agnew's clever reverse pass from the dead-ball caught everyone on the hop but Wayne Hall, but his low cross was cleared by a desperate Dale defence.

Colin Alcide then threatened to make his mark with a rasping drive that seemed to gather speed as he let fly from wide on the right only for Neil Edwards to stick out a hand and paw the ball out from the top corner.

From such dizzy heights of optimism City were brought crashing down to earth less than a minute later.

Ellis flicked the ball on and City's defence parted like the Red Sea.

Hall came across to deny Platt but probably went to ground too early and the tall striker emerged with the ball 12 yards out, virtually on the penalty spot, and sent Fettis the wrong way with a neat finish.

Perhaps it was the slick surface, but City's defence looked decidedly unsure, never quite knowing whether to stand off or make the tackle.

Rochdale, on the other hand, looked that bit sharper and on the rare occasions they didn't win the first then they almost certainly won the second ball.

Platt in particular was proving a real handful, winning headers, holding up play and bringing in players all around him.

Occasionally, the Minstermen flickered around the Rochdale danger zone. Kevin Hulme latched onto Alcide's flick-on and flashed a a good effort across the face of the goal - but it was all too occasional.

Gary Jones played a neat one-two with Ellis but scuffed his attempted drive wide before City's Barry Jones denied Ellis a free header just six-yards out.

As half-time approached City gave themselves a mountain to climb by conceding the softest, simplest of goals.

Gary Hobson failed to clear when he had chance and ended up conceding a corner.

Paul Ware struck the dead ball and, while Fettis could claim he was impeded, Mark Monington rose seemingly unchallenged to nod the ball home.

York needed a goal quickly to raise their flagging spirits but it was Dale who almost made it 3-0 just a minute into the second half when Platt out-paced Hobson to fire over.

Moments later and like a knife through butter, full-back Wayne Evans charged forward, played another wall pass with Ware, and shot just wide.

Tempers were starting to fray on the terraces but did little to ease City's nerves on the park.

Hulme headed wide from Steve Agnew's corner before boss Terry Dolan summoned John Williams from the bench to replace Darren Edmondson and try to provide the spark.

Moments later, City had four strikers on the pitch when Barry Conlon replaced Graham Potter.

York certainly looked brighter and more purposeful, although Fettis was forced to make two fine saves to deny Ellis's smart turn and shot and then Monington from just six yards.

Gary Jones continued to try his luck from range while Platt forced Fettis to save again with a far-post header, while at the other end Conlon rose high to meet Agnew's cross but could only direct his header wide.

In the final minutes, Hobson carried the ball out of defence before laying it wide to Williams, who knocked it back to Jones before racing down the right to receive the full-back's pass in space.

With time to steady himself and deliver a telling ball the City sub's cross drifted harmlessly behind Rochdale's goal.

A promising Minstermen move that floundered. It summed up City's night to a T.

City Match Facts

Nationwide League Division Three

Tuesday, September 12, 2000

York City 0, Rochdale 2

YORK CITY: Alan Fettis 8, Barry Jones 6, Mark Sertori 6, Gary Hobson 6, Wayne Hall 6, Darren Edmondson 5 (John Williams 55mins, 6), Steve Agnew 7, Kevin Hulme 7, Colin Alcide 5 (Lee Bullock 71mins) , David McNiven 7 , Graham Potter 5 (Barry Conlon 58mins, 6) .

Subs, not used: Russ Howarth, Matt Hocking

Booked: Sertori 79mins (foul)

Sent off: None

SCUNTHORPE: Neil Edwards, Wayne Evans, David Bayliss, Mark Monington, Lee Todd, Dave Flitcroft, Paul Ware, Gary Jones, Phil Hadland (Simon Davies 67mins), Clive Platt, Tony Ellis

Subs, not used: Phil Priestley, Tony Ford, Simon Coleman, Dave Walsh

Booked: None

Sent-off: None

Scorers: Platt 8mins, Monington 41mins

Evening Press/Unique Pub Man of the Match: Alan Fettis

Proved his worth to City with safe handling throughout and two great saves in the second half.

Match Stats

YORK CITY

Half-time 0

Corners 11

Shots on target 1

Fouls committed 6

SCUNTHORPE

Half-time 2

Corners 4

Shots on target 9

Fouls committed 7

Attendance: 2,215

Referee: Poy Pearson (Peterlee)

City's next match: Saturday, September 16, v Exeter City, ko 3pm. Nationwide League Division Three