EVEN in the context of so many multiple setbacks in recent times, York City supporters can hardly have felt bluer than they did watching their team succumb to another defeat in their navy-coloured third kit.

Following a 3-0 loss at Altrincham, City inconceivably slumped into the National League North’s bottom six - just three points above the relegation zone – after wearing a strip that has also witnessed previous disappointments against Kidderminster and Brackley.

But, in truth, whether the Minstermen are wearing red, white or blue, the club are seemingly in as big a mess than that created by Union Jack-waving Brexiteers Nigel Farage and co.

The sense of disunity certainly mirrors that currently engulfing Westminster’s corridors of power, with one City fan angrily confronting coaching staff at Altrincham whilst, off the pitch, lawyers are being employed by both sides amid an unexplained dispute between the Supporters’ Trust and club board.

Nobody in their right minds would have wanted such an undignified final farewell to Bootham Crescent and, as manager Sam Collins correctly pointed out following another defeat to superior part-time opponents, something must change to salvage anything from this landmark season.

Presently, that might mean the avoidance of an unthinkable battle against relegation to the Evo-Stik League.

Talk of a drop to English football’s seventh tier seems ludicrous and would be unprecedented for a club of City’s professional stature but, incredibly, it cannot be sniffily dismissed, given the team’s inability to defeat current bottom-two Hereford and Nuneaton this term.

Equally, the comprehensive nature of Altrincham’s victory once more exposed the gulf between the Minstermen and teams occupying the division’s top-seven positions, where Saturday’s hosts now reside.

City have taken one point out of a possible 21 against those sides, while scoring just two goals and conceding 16.

For much of the first half in Greater Manchester, the two teams cancelled each other out with both enjoying large periods of patient passing without displaying a cutting edge.

But, once the hosts upped the tempo and added penetration to their possession play in the second half, City had no answers, failing to muster a single shot of any description after the interval.

Earlier, Moult had headed the afternoon’s first chance wide from a John Johnston corner, while Sean Newton’s 25-yard attempt was deflected past the near post at the other end and Lewis Hawkins could not redirect a mishit Adriano Moke effort on target using his head.

On 18 minutes, Johnston weaved his way into the away box before his shot with the outside of his right foot had to be tipped on to the top of the crossbar by City keeper Adam Bartlett.

Owen Dale went on to lift a 25-yard opportunity well over, while National League North’s leading marksman Jordan Hulme saw a long-distance lob bounce wide of Bartlett’s goal.

City appeared to be getting a foothold into the game, though, with Hawkins’ 25-yard drive drifting wide after he was teed up by Alex Bray and an overlapping Josh Law firing a diagonal shot at home keeper Anthony Thompson following Jordan Burrow’s headed knockdown.

After Bartlett safely gathered Moult’s attempt from distance, Newton then almost uprooted a corner flag from the edge of the box, while Burrow’s header from a Kallum Griffiths corner was cleared off the line by home defender Connor Hampson in first-half stoppage time.

Newton subsequently blazed over, but his effort would prove the visitors’ last of the match.

After the restart, Bartlett made a brilliant flying reflex save to tip over Josh Hancock’s rising ten-yard drive following good work down the left by Dale, Johnston also drove wide from 25 yards, before the Robins forged in front on 57 minutes.

A Dale cross appeared to take a deflection to loop over a deceived Joe Davis and fell to Hancock, who hammered into roof of net from ten yards.

Bartlett was again required to rescue his team moments later after Johnston had waltzed into the home box, while the City keeper went on to show admirable athleticism to push away Hulme’s curling 15-yard effort that seemed destined for his top-left corner.

He was left powerless, though, shortly afterwards on 82 minutes when Johnston’s left-wing corner was only cleared to the edge of the box where Moult smacked a lethal first-time shot into the former England C international’s bottom-right corner.

After Newton aimed too high from 20 yards, Hancock added a third goal on 90 minutes, exchanging passes with Hulme down the left channel before curling a composed 12-yard finish inside Bartlett’s far upright.

That prompted one pitch-invading offender to vent his fury at Collins, before City physio Ian Gallagher forcibly restrained him and led him away, with home stewards, like so many second-half away players, having gone missing in action.

Despite the miscreant's actions, the single biggest blessing during these hard times is that unlike the infamous referendum, more City fans have chosen to remain rather than leave, judging by the 350 that travelled across the Pennines and the fact that home crowds have never dipped below the 2,000 mark in National League North.

City ratings

Adam Bartlett 8

Josh Law 5

Joe Davis 6

Kennedy Digie 6

Sean Newton 5

Kallum Griffiths 6

Lewis Hawkins 6

Adriano Moke 5

Jordan Burrow 5

Joe Ironside 5

Alex Bray 5

Substitutes: Macaulay Langstaff 5 (for Ironside, 59), Alex Harris 5 (for Bray, 62), Jon Parkin (for Hawkins, 72).

Subs not used: David Ferguson, Nathan Dyer.

Star man: Bartlett - made an outstanding save to deny Hancock at 0-0 and two or three more fine stops

Altrincham: Anthony Thompson, Andrew White, Thomas Hannigan, Jake Moult, Connor Hampson, John Johnston, James Jones, Simon Richman, Owen Dale, Jordan Hulme, Joshua Hancock. Subs: Kallam Mantack, Charlie Scott, Josh Langley, Shaun Densmore, Elliot Wynne.

Altrincham star man: Hancock – one clinical and one stylish finish and only denied hat-trick by fine Bartlett save

Referee: Andrew Kitchen 8/10 – difficult to pick fault

Booked: Griffiths 88

Sent off: None

Attendance: 1,673 (348 from City)

Shots on target: Altrincham 8, City 2

Shots off target: Altrincham 3, City 5

Corners: Altrincham 8, City 5

Fouls conceded: Altrincham 6, City 10

Offside: Altrincham 1, City 3