FOOTBALL’S not everybody’s cup of tea in Harrogate.

Despite riding high in the National League, the Wetherby Road outfit’s average attendance of 1,668 this season is still almost 800 fewer than that of their long-time North Yorkshire superiors York City.

But, after a third consecutive victory in a derby dubbed mockingly by many as the “Battle of Bettys”, there can be no disputing that Harrogate Town boss Simon Weaver has found a perfect blend on the pitch for non-League success.

City players, meanwhile, were left to stew on their hopes of retaining a first XI place ahead of this FA Trophy first-round tie following the heavily-criticised 2-0 disappointment at Boston the previous weekend.

Manager Sam Collins subsequently made five changes to the team and, despite the eventual 2-1 loss, his up-and-down side arguably improved on last season’s efforts against their neighbours when the first-ever league contests between the clubs resulted in a pair of 2-0 defeats.

Alex Bray – one of the quintet recalled - gave the Minstermen a 21st-minute lead on a freezing afternoon, but Dominic Knowles swiftly levelled, before a rare Adam Bartlett blunder was punished midway through the second half by on-loan Leeds left-back Liam Kitching.

Given their respective histories, City supporters are never going to regard a narrow beating at Harrogate as a cause for some early festive cheer but, in the sad context of the 34 places that now separate the two sides in the English football pyramid, a competitive encounter offered some respite from the seemingly incessant cycle of ignominy.

Harrogate set off at a lively pace as the ball dropped to top-scorer Jack Muldoon ten yards from goal with just 20 seconds on the clock, but an angled drive was held at his near post by Bartlett.

Not long afterwards, Joe Leesley burst past Nathan Dyer too easily and delivered a low cross from the left that picked out George Thomson at the far post, only for the right winger to clear the crossbar from a similar distance.

City then began to use the slick 3G surface to up the tempo of their game too, with Lewis Hawkins heading over after a left-wing cross from Bray.

Kallum Griffiths also volleyed high and wide from the edge of the box, before Hawkins, assigned with providing support through the middle for lone central striker Jordan Burrow, should have opened the scoring.

Eleven-goal leading marksman Burrow did well to retrieve a long ball through the right channel and went on to play a clever pass to free Wes York in the penalty box.

York, in turn, squared across the face of goal, where on-loan Hartlepool midfielder Hawkins could only steer wide from seven yards.

After Kitching had headed off target from a Leesley free kick, however, the visitors forged in front.

Bray nipped in as Ryan Fallowfield and James Belshaw both waited for the momentum of a forward ball to bounce into the latter’s penalty area, where he could gather safely with his hands.

But the on-loan Rotherham winger’s smart thinking left him with an unguarded net to roll the ball into.

City’s lead was only to last six minutes, though, with Leesley’s pass deflected into the path of Knowles, who sidestepped Kennedy Digie too easily, before bending a 12-yard effort inside Bartlett's left-hand upright.

Simon Weaver’s men went on to boss the half-hour period either side of the interval, as Leesley and Jack Emmett both aimed wide from just outside the penalty area and the former somehow contrived to balloon over from four yards after Knowles had rounded Bartlett to tee him up in front of a gaping goal.

After the restart, Thomson drilled wide from the edge of the box, while a curling Knowles attempt went close after he brushed past Griffiths.

The pressure eventually told on 66 minutes when Thomson’s corner from the left was headed towards goal by Kelvin Langmead and, after a weak punch by Bartlett only resulted in pushing the ball straight up in the air, Kitching prodded in from close range after it fell back to earth.

City might still have forced a replay six minutes later when subs Alex Harris and Macaulay Langstaff combined to create an excellent chance.

Harris played Langstaff clear through the left channel, but his blasted ten-year drive was parried away at his near post by Belshaw.

Otherwise, City went out of the competition without mustering another goal attempt.

At the other end, Thomson and Leesley long-range strikes were diverted away from goal by Digie and Griffiths respectively.

In between, centre-back Warren Burrell’s overhead kick from a left-wing Thomson corner was scrambled away to safety by the away team and the game ended after Bartlett collected a stoppage-time, curling Leesley shot.

The result meant 2012 and 2017 Trophy winners City have now bowed out of the tournament at the first-round stage during the last two seasons.

City Ratings

Adam Bartlett 6

Nathan Dyer 6

Joe Davis 7

Kennedy Digie 6

David Ferguson 7

Kallum Griffiths 7

Josh Law 6

Lewis Hawkins 6

Wes York 7

Jordan Burrow 7

Alex Bray 7

Substitutes: Alex Harris 6 (for Hawkins, 54), Macaulay Langstaff (for Bray, 71), Joe Ironside (for Law, 85).

Subs not used: Joe Tait, Dan Parslow.

Star man: York - ensured team had two wide outlets with his willing runs down right flank

Harrogate: James Belshaw, Ryan Fallowfield, Warren Burrell, Kelvin Langmead, Liam Kitching, George Thomson, Josh Falkingham, Jack Emmett (Michael Woods, 68), Joe Leesley, Dominic Knowles (Aaron Williams, 80), Jack Muldoon (Lloyd Kerry, 59). Subs not used: Mark Beck, Joe Cracknell.

Harrogate star man: Burrell – looked comfortable at the back and ensured Burrow didn’t get a sniff of goal

Referee: Matthew Dicicco 7/10 – kept on top of matters throughout

Booked: York 52

Sent off: None

Attendance: 1,336 (523 from City)

Shots on target: Harrogate 5, City 2

Shots off target: Harrogate 8, City 3

Corners: Harrogate 10, City 5

Fouls conceded: Harrogate 11, City 9

Offside: Harrogate 3, City 1