YORK City and Rochdale contributed to their history of 0-0 draws by adding another goalless stalemate to the collection.

Neal Ardley’s side claimed an important point on their travels, keeping a clean sheet against Vanarama National League play-off chasers Rochdale at the Crown Oil Arena.

It now means that City have been held to a 0-0 draw in four of their last five meetings with the Dale, in the Minstermen’s first trip to Rochdale since 2014.

It will also be a disappointment to Ardley that his York side couldn’t make amends for last Saturday’s shock Isuzu FA Trophy exit to Nantwich Town, a performance and result that assistant manager Neil Cox had labelled as ‘embarrassing’.

Ardley responded to that that demeaning defeat by making eight changes to his starting eleven, that perhaps surprised supporters on social media.

Most notably was the absence of Tyler Cordner, who dropped to the substitution bench after captaining the side in the FA Trophy, with Will Smith being immediately reinstated into the starting eleven after re-signing for the club from Harrogate Town in midweek.

Ryan Fallowfield, George Sykes-Kenworthy, Paddy McLaughlin, Olly Dyson, Alex Woodyard, Scott Burgess and Callum Howe were all also brought into the side, with only Will Davies, Luke Daley and Callum Harriott retaining their place from seven days ago.

Ardley will have demanded a response from his players after their shock FA Trophy exit to Nantwich on Saturday, and he will been encouraged by the early signs from City.

Immediate pressure forced a mistake in the Rochdale midfield, with Dyson breaking forward and hammering an effort towards goal, forcing a reactive save from Dale goalkeeper Louie Moulden.

Ian Henderson is the only player still involved at either club since York’s last visit to Rochdale in 2014, and nearly got his name on the scoresheet after side-footing a strike narrowly wide from Jesurun Uchegbulam’s cross.

York again looked to test Moulden and the Rochdale defence, but to no prevail with McLaughlin nodding wide from a corner.

There would be controversy and arguments from the Dale supporters after former Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Ethan Ebanks-Landell appeared to be fouled in the box, but the referee adjudged Ebanks-Landell to have dived, and booked the captain for dissent.

The match would burst into life with City evidencing some excellent defending, with Fallowfield first making a last-ditch challenge to deny Tyrese Sinclair, before Daley followed suit and made an important challenge on Henderson.

Up at the other end Dyson’s pass found Davies in space, who raced towards goal before being denied by an impressive stop by Moulden.

Harriott is back in league action for the Minstermen and is still looking to open his account for the club, and was left ruing after some tricky footwork allowed the winger to bend a strike goalwards, only for it to fall inches wide of the target.

Heading into the break, Rochdale would be hoping to put their home advantage to more use, and started the second-half like City had in the first.

A weaving run from Sinclair saw the winger’s cross-shot trickle across the face of goal, before York’s blushes were spared with no Rochdale man being available to tuck home.

Sykes-Kenworthy had a busy game between the sticks and made an important save to smother another Sinclair strike, before Henderson would meet a Ryan East looping cross, directing his header inches wide of the target.

Jimmy Keohane and Ebanks-Landell both had strikes evade the target, before supporters were left fuming at another refereeing decision, with Henderson delicately chipping the ball into the back of the net, only to be denied by the linesman’s flag.

York were sustaining heavy pressure from the hosts, but were keeping Rochdale’s set-pieces out of the net, first with a commending low stop at Sykes-Kenworthy’s near post, before another Sinclair free-kick was claimed by the shot-stopper, who had positioned himself well to handle the danger.

However, despite Dale’s consistent second-half pressure, it was the Minstermen who nearly nicked all three of the points, with substitute John-Lewis testing Moulden with a close-range header, only to be cruelly denied.

York are next in action for the final time before Christmas, welcoming Ebbsfleet United to the LNER Community Stadium on Saturday, December 23 (3pm).

Rochdale: Moulden, Keohane, Nevett, Ebanks-Landell, John, East, Clayton (Oduroh, 18), Gilmour, Sinclair, Henderson, Uchegbulam

Subs not used: Taylor, Afuye, Mann, Burgess

Yellow cards: Keohane (17), Ebanks-Landell (24), Gilmour (40)

York City: Sykes-Kenworthy 7, Fallowfield 7, Howe 8, Smith 7, Daley 7 (Latty-Fairweather, 80), Woodyard 6, McLaughlin 6, Dyson 6 (John-Lewis 6, 73), Burgess 5, Davies 6, Harriott 6 (Kouhyar 6,69)

Subs not used: Stockdale, Cordner

York’s star man: Callum Howe. A commanding performance from the York defender who attributed to an important clean sheet.

Attendance: 2804

Referee: David McNamara

Shots off (on target): 7 (5) | 1 (2)

Corners: 6 | 4

Offsides: 2 | 1

Fouls committed: 6 | 9