DEFEAT against a team hailing from a Gloucestershire village so small it does not even have its own pub marked an all-time low for York City.

To add insult to injury, Forest Green Rovers' 3-1 victory at Bootham Crescent was secured by a hat-trick from a striker called Charlie who was plying his trade in the Dr Martens League for Chippenham Town last season.

It was the Minstermen, however, who looked the proper Charlies on Saturday.

Abysmal defending played a major role in Charlie Griffin's first Conference hat-trick on an afternoon when City's supporters vented their anger and frustration.

Chants of 'Brass Out' greeted each Griffin goal, as well as the half-time and full-time whistle.

At other times, City's beleaguered player-boss was booed when in possession and the home fans even resorted to cheering the visitors while slow handclapping their own side.

Andy Bishop's injury-time consolation did little to appease the Minstermen faithful with an ironic firework followed by sarcastic cheers and more vigorous calls for Brass to be relieved of his duties.

Playing wise, Brass was not City's biggest culprit on Saturday but, with his job on the line, the City boss must now regret pairing Gary Pearson and Sean Davies in the centre of defence.

City missed Brass' organisational skills or the decisiveness previously shown by loan signing David McGurk and the consequences were terrible.

Pearson, who has done an excellent makeshift job at the back until recently, looked like a midfielder playing in defence against Forest Green, hesitating and taking risks while teenager Davies was little more than a novice alongside him.

Crude punts into the home penalty box caused unbelievable problems and the Minstermen always looked vulnerable to counter-attacks.

There was also confusion over communication and City were crying out for a player to assume control at the back in the same manner that the uncompromising Adam Garner did for Forest Green.

Garner, hardly the most stylish player, defended with determination and anticipation, thwarting several City attacks with crucial blocks.

He also did a solid job against Bishop, who worked valiantly but was often forced to fend on scraps as City again lacked creativity from midfield.

Forest Green went ahead after 73 seconds when Stuart Roberts' cross from the left sailed over Davies and Griffin headed in at the far post.

City, initially shell-shocked, settled and Bishop was unfortunate not to level the scores when his glancing header from Dave Merris' cross hit a post.

Garner's first block then prevented Lee Nogan's 17th-minute shot hitting the target and Bishop tried his luck from 25 yards moment later but his effort sailed over.

But Forest Green signalled another warning when Mark Beesley teased a back-pedalling Pearson before firing into the side-netting and, on 24 minutes, they doubled their lead courtesy of some shocking City defending.

Dean Williams' goal-kick caused chaos when it bounced in the home penalty box and, when Pearson and Davies both went to tackle Beesley, the loose ball broke to an unattended Griffin, who finished confidently into the roof of the net from ten yards.

At the other end, Merris' fierce drive narrowly missed the target from 30 yards, Nogan's deflected effort floated over the bar and Bishop's shot was brilliantly blocked by Scott Rogers.

In the second half, Nogan allowed Garner to make a last-ditch tackle in the six-yard box after Bishop's cleverly-cushioned header had created a chance but Griffin then completed his hat-trick on 62 minutes, bundling the ball in at the far post after Beesley had escaped Davies' attentions far too easily and his low cross eluded Pearson.

Yet another block by the talismanic Garner thwarted Bishop moments later, while Rogers was only denied a fourth Forest Green goal when David Stockdale dived full length to turn his 25-yard drive behind for a corner.

Bishop headed in after nimble footwork and a perfectly-delivered cross from an increasingly anxious Brass, who moved from right-back to midfield in the later stages, but the effort was ruled out for offside.

Substitute Kevin Donovan's low shot then beat Williams only for Garner to intervene again this time with a goal-line clearance.

Bishop got the goal he deserved in the second minute of stoppage time, sidefooting into an unguarded net after Williams had saved Lev Yalcin's shot.

Sadly, it was a case of too little, too late for his manager.

Match facts:

Nationwide Conference

Saturday, November 6, 2004

at Bootham Crescent

York City 1 (Bishop 90)

Forest Green Rovers 3 (Griffin 2, 24, 64)

City ratings:

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

Stockdale 6

Brass 5

Pearson 4

Davies 4

Merris 6

Yalcin 6

Dunning 5

Groves 4 (Staley 64, 6)

Stewart 5

Bishop 7

Nogan 5 (Donovan 63, 6)

Forest Green: Williams, Lyttle, Richardson (Holloway, 67), Garner, Reed, Roberts, Gadsby, Rogers (Cleverley, 81), Watson, Griffin, Beesely (Davies, 89). Subs not used: Green, Windle.

Yellow cards: None.

Red cards: None.

Referee: Ian Nolan (Lancashire). Rating: very competent

Attendance: 2,132.

Weather watch: Mild with a slight breeze.

Game breaker: Griffin's second goal left City shell-shocked and the home fans furious.

Match rating: Hard to imagine a worse experience for City's long-suffering supporters with their team committing defensive suicide.

Player watch: Paul Groves

Shots on target: 0.

Shots off target: 1.

Blocked shots: 0.

Passes to own player: 11.

Passes to opposition: 0.

Crosses: 0.

Pass completion rate: 100 per cent.

Dribbles ball retained: 0.

Dribbles ball lost: 0.

Headers: 11. Tackles: 3. Offsides: 0.

Clearances, blocks and interceptions: 0.

Free kicks won: 1. Free kicks conceded: 0. Bookings: 0.

Final summary: A peripheral figure until his 64th-minute substitution. Only made 11 passes and, although none was bad, few were incisive. Also failed to deliver a cross or go past an opponent and was not as dominant in the air as he can be.

Updated: 09:28 Monday, November 08, 2004