York City 0, Aldershot 2

It was Aldershot, however, who always looked the safest bet to secure all three points once striker Tim Sills opened the scoring with the visitors' first attack on 15 minutes.

With poker-faced former City centre-back Ray Warburton at his uncompromising and dependable best for the Shots, the home team faced a formidable foe to get back into the game although they were dealt a decidedly bad hand for the second away goal which was scored after a wrongly-awarded corner.

Sadly, for City's Sunday faithful, there was no big gamble to find an avenue back into a match that petered out after the break.

The Minstermen had started brightly with Paul Groves hooking the ball over from a corner and Andy Bishop clearing the crossbar from 25 yards after stealing possession.

But Sills netted from his side's first raid on Chris Porter's goal, getting in front of Sean Davies to tap in after Jon Challinor had beaten Groves and delivered an inviting low cross.

Moments later, Nikki Bull fumbled a Dave Merris cross behind for a corner at his near post and, on 32 minutes, Bishop's clever turn created a good shooting chance for himself from the edge of the box only for his curling effort to lack both the height and power to beat Aldershot's 'keeper.

But City's midfield, including labouring loan signing Rob Constable, lacked creativity, and, at the other end, Martin Reeves' stooping header was pushed around a post by Porter before Aldershot doubled their advantage in dubious circumstances.

Steve Watson's 25-yard shot blatantly travelled wide of Porter's goal without the aid of a deflection but referee Dave Richardson's Main Stand touchline assistant begged to differ.

Murphy's Law then came into play from the subsequent flag-kick when Watson stuck out a boot to divert Challinor's wayward shot into Porter's bottom corner amidst a crowded penalty box.

Aldershot almost added a third in first half injury-time when Sills failed to find the target from three yards after the ball flashed dangerously across the Minstermen's six-yard box.

Hugh McAuley rattled a post four minutes after the break and Sills failed to convert the rebound before City failed to convert their best chance of the game when Merris intercepted a careless pass from willing risk-taker Will Atwi and charged purposefully into the visitors' penalty box.

Merris' shot, however, was smothered by Bull with an unmarked Lee Nogan handily placed for a square ball.

Nogan departed to the sound of sarcastic cheers from the David Longhurst Stand soon after Kevin Donovan's twinkle toes took him into Aldershot's penalty area but his shot flashed wide.

The visitors were denied a third goal on 69 minutes when Sills crashed a powerful volley into the roof of the net but his effort was ruled out for an innocuous push.

Lively substitute Aaron McLean then forced Porter into a low save just five seconds after climbing off the bench and City's 'keeper scrambled across his goal to keep out McAuley's low drive moments later.

Porter was quick off his line on 86 minutes to save at McLean's feet after Lev Yalcin's underhit back pass and Groves - a nanosecond after being announced as the sponsors' man of the match - headed wide of his own goal by the narrowest of margins.

City's goal attempts in the final quarter were restricted to long shots from substitutes Paul Robinson and Yalcin which were either comfortably saved or comfortably off target.

For caretaker boss Viv Busby, the chance of a third consecutive Conference victory had gone but his biggest concern now will be Saturday's trip to Forest Green Rovers where victory would establish a ten-point cushion between the Minstermen and the relegation zone.

York City 0, Aldershot 2 (Sills 15, Watson 41)

Porter 6, Staley 5 (Law 76), Groves 7, Maloney 7, Davies 7, Donovan 7, Constable 5 (Yalcin 56, 6), Webster 6, Merris 6, Bishop 6, Nogan 5 (Paul Robinson 64, 6)

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

Subs not used: Stockdale, Grant.

Star man: Paul Groves - slightly culpable for first goal but a colossus thereafter.

Aldershot: Bull, Giles, Warburton, Antwi, Barnard, Challinor, McAuley (Warner, 89), Watson, Crittenden, Sills (Rendell, 87), Reeves. Subs not used: McLean, Jinadu, Glasspool.

Yellow cards: Reeves 25, Constable 42, Barnard 56, Bull 58, Davies 73.

Red cards: None.

Referee: Dave Richardson (West Yorkshire). Rating: made mistakes.

Attendance: 2,133.

Weather watch: Bright and mild.

Game breaker: When a visiting team scores a second goal in York there is normally only one outcome.

Match rating: City threatened little against strong but unspectacular foes.

Updated: 10:50 Monday, February 07, 2005