Carlisle 6, York City 0

Forest Green Rovers' defeat at home to Hereford United meant York City's Conference future was secure for another season regardless of the humiliating scenes in Carlisle.

But, on last night's evidence, it could only serve as a year's stay of execution unless major surgery is undertaken over the summer as this 6-0 debacle sorely exposed City's season-long, multiple deficiencies.

Without Andy Bishop in attack, the Minstermen continue to be as toothless as Joe Jordan's grin but that is not where the problems end.

A defence vulnerable to pace, a midfield lacking creativity, as well as natural width, and a goalkeeper reluctant to leave his line for crosses are additional factors that have contributed to City's dismal position in the Conference table.

Take away the surprise victories against Exeter and Barnet, achieved in impressive style on Billy McEwan's arrival, then the club's situation could easily have been more critical.

Play-off chasing Carlisle and City both departed the Football League together less than a year ago but the clubs now seem poles apart.

Last night, the Minstermen played with all the co-ordination of Carlisle's young male cheerleader. Needless to say, he was no Billy Elliott.

Defensively, awful mistakes by Kyle Armstrong, Chris Porter and Dave Merris were instrumental in the drubbing while, at the other end, City failed to find the net for the fifth time in six outings.

Ben Jackson was the biggest culprit. The on-loan Doncaster striker was a willing runner but, when presented with two excellent chances, he lacked composure in front of goal and squandered both.

Home goalkeeper Matty Glennon smothered Jackson's 35th-minute shot when the teenage forward had all the goal to aim at having been put clear by Paul Groves' header.

He later failed to even hit the target, firing wide with only Glennon to beat a minute into the second half.

Groves headed the Minstermen's only other goal attempt of the night against the bar after a 66th-minute Kevin Donovan corner.

Carlisle were more clinical although City players claimed notable assists for five of the six goals.

Porter saved well from Adam Murray on 11 minutes but failed to claim the subsequent corner delivered into his six-yard box and could only claw Kevin Gray's header from under his crossbar as far as Daniel Livesey, who drove in from close range.

The Cumbrians doubled their advantage when a panic-stricken Armstrong volleyed a clearance straight at Groves' arms and referee Dave Foster pointed to the spot after a long delay. Chris Lumsdon sent Porter the wrong way with the penalty.

A third avoidable goal arrived when Lumsdon's hopeful punt into the penalty box saw an increasingly flustered Armstrong and an indecisive Porter collide into each other and presenting Adam Murray with an empty net to roll the ball into.

Armstrong blotted his copy book again seven minutes later when his weak header failed to find Porter, who saved at Glenn Murray's feet on the edge of his box only for the ball to break loose to Derek Holmes to find another inviting net.

The dreadful defending was clearly contagious with Merris at fault next goal. Adam Murray chipped the ball forward again and Merris' attempted clearance spun off his right boot and bounced past Porter.

Only Carlisle's sixth goal a minute from time lacked any contribution from the visitors, with Lumsdon finding the bottom corner with a fierce low drive from 25 yards.

Had Glenn Murray, Magno Vieira, ex-Minsterman Tom Cowan, Gray and Karl Hawley converted other good opportunities it could easily have reached double figures.

A semblance of pride needs to be restored quicky and City will be hoping to avoid an eighth match without a victory at home to Dagenham and Redbridge on Saturday. Anything less than three points would represent the worst run of a depressing season.

Match facts

Nationwide Conference

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

at Brunton Park

Carlisle 6 (Livesey 11, Lumsdon 26 pen, 87, Murray 63, Holmes 70, Merris 79og)

York City 0

City ratings

Key: 10 - Faultless; 9 - Outstanding; 8 - Excellent; 7 - Good; 6 - Average; 5 - Below par; 4 - Poor; 3 - Dud; 2 - Hopeless; 1 - Retire

Porter 3

Groves 4 (Bishop 70m 4)

Davis 4

Armstrong 3

Law 4

Yalcin 3

Donovan 4

Dunning 3 (Stewart 70m 4)

Marris 5

Jackson 3

Paul D Robinson 3

Subs not used: Stockdale, Paul Robinson, Webster.

Star man: Merris - produced an average performance until own goal but still best City player.

Carlisle: Glennon, Beharall, Gray, Livesey, Cowan, A Murray, Billy, Lumsdon,Murphy, G Murray (Vieira, 25, Hawley, 85). Subs not used: Arnison, McGill, Coyles.

Yellow cards: Davis 33

Red cards: None.

Referee: Dave Foster (Tyne & Wear) Rating: job made easy by such a one-sided contest.

Attendance: 3,810

Weather watch: : Mild evening

Game breaker: Penalty decision maybe but probably referee's whistle to start the game.

Match rating: .One-sided contest with some of the worst defending ever likely to be seen in a professional football match.

Player watch: Dave Merris

Shots saved: 0.

Shots parried: 0

Blocked shots: 0.

Passes to own player: 23

Passes to opposition: 12

Crosses to own player: 0

Crosses to opposition: 3

Pass success rate: 63.9 per cent Dribbles ball retained: 1

Dribbles ball lost: 0 Dribble success rate: 100 per cent

Headers: 14 Tackles: 9

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 14 Offsides: 0 Free kicks won: 0 Free kicks conceded: 0 Yellow cards: 0

Final summary: Dave Merris battled hard for most of the match but made a bad blunder to put through his own net for Carlisle's fifth goal. His distribution improved after a hit-and-miss first half but none of his three crosses found a team-mate.

Updated: 10:55 Wednesday, April 13, 2005