THE shortcomings of York City's play-off credentials were emphatically exposed by genuine top-seven contenders Lincoln last night.

City supporters have grown accustomed to defying the odds after saving the club from extinction and then celebrating the recent news that Bootham Crescent will remain home for the forseeable future.

But, a top-seven spot for a squad hastily assembled by new manager Chris Brass in the summer was probably one footballing fairytale too many and let's not forget the bookmakers made the Minstermen favourites for relegation to the Conference at the start of the season.

City are still almost certain to make a mockery of such predictions but last night's second half capitulation to Lincoln once more highlighted that Brass' team fall short of the clubs contesting promotion and play-off positions this season.

A haul of just one point from a possible 18 has all but ended City's play-off hopes but the unsatisfactory sequence should be put into context with the five defeats coming against clubs who will be in the shake-up for automatic promotion spots and Millennium play-off final places come May.

It almost appears the fashion in lower division circles to write the Imps off as long-ball merchants but that is a far too simplistic and flippant assessment of their abilties.

The Sincil Bank side might take few chances in their own half of the pitch but in Peter Gain they have one of the division's more accomplished midfielders on the deck and their three-pronged strike force of Gary Fletcher, Marcus Richardson and Francis Green is a potent combination of power, pace and skill.

But York will still be disappointed by a match in which too many players turned in below-par performances and only teenage pair Sean Davies and Lev Yalcin and veteran campaigner Lee Nogan came out with any real credit.

Davies did not appear over-awed by his full debut as a left-sided centre-back having replaced the injured Chris Smith in the starting line-up.

The youngster's inclusion caused a defensive reshuffle that saw Brass shift to the right side of a back three and Richard Hope play in the middle.

Yalcin, meanwhile, exuded some of the confidence that marked his cameo appearances as a substitute before his rather nervy first start against Mansfield on Saturday.

The Turkish youth international should have hit the target on 21 minutes instead of shooting wide when a swift burst of pace took him clear of the visitors defence after an intelligent header by Nogan.

Lincoln defender Simon Weaver also had to be alert to prevent Yalcin's dangerous low cross from the right finding Nogan and the 18-year-old striker did have the ball in the net moments later. But as he spun away in delight after showing a predatory instinct when Justin Walker bundled the ball into his firing range, his celebrations were cut short by an offside flag.

The visitors got the game's first goal on 44 minutes when referee Paul Robinson penalised Darren Edmondson for tangling in the box with Richardson after Mark Bailey's cross from the right.

It seemed a harsh decision from the Hull official and there was not an audible appeal from the 533 Lincoln fans behind the goal but Paul Mayo stepped up to blast the spot kick to the left of Mark Ovendale.

The Minstermen might have had cause for complaint about Mr Robinson's role in breaking the deadlock but they were responsible for their own downfall afterwards.

Lincoln seized control of the game with Green clipping the crossbar before doubling the lead on 58 minutes. He skipped inside a sliding Hope and left the City defender on his backside before beating Ovendale.

Gain forced Ovendale into a save just seconds before he beat the City 'keeper at his near post with a firm drive just after the hour.

Rookie Davies had attempted unsuccessfully to catch the Lincoln strikers offside but there was still plenty of opportunity to avert the danger before Fletcher fed Gain.

The goal provoked boos and calls for Jon Parkin from the David Longhurst Stand who was thrown on five minutes later.

But before Parkin skipped around Imps' goalkeeper Alan Marriott only to shoot into the sidenetting, Lincoln substitute Simon Yeo had already tapped in from close range with his first touch on 76 minutes, capitalising on hesitation between Ovendale and Edmondson.

Ovendale then saved headers from Yeo and Dene Cropper as Lincoln threatened to run riot before Bullock slammed the ball angrily into the roof of the net from three yards near the end after Marriott had beaten out Nogan's shot from an acute angle.

York City 1 (Bullock 83); Lincoln City 4 (Mayo 44, Green 58, Gain 61, Yeo 76)

Ovendale 5, Brass 4, Hope 5, Davies 7, Edmondson 4, Walker 4 (Ward 66, 5), Bullock 5, Dunning 4, Merris 4 (Parkin 66, 5), Yalcin 6 (Cooper 61, 5), Nogan 6

Subs not used: Porter, Fox

Star Man: Sean Davies - solid full debut in very difficult circumstances.

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

Lincoln City: Marriott, Weaver, Morgan, Futcher, Bailey (Liburd, 83), Sedgemore, Gain, Mayo, Fletcher (Yeo, 75), Richardson (Cropper, 62), Green. Subs not used: Bloomer, Willis.

Yellow cards: Richardson 45, Cooper 81

Red cards: None

Referee: Paul Robinson (East Yorkshire)

Rating: Dubious penalty decision, but not responsible for City collapse

Attendance: 3,396.

Weather watch: Dry and cool

Game breaker: Lincoln's third goal left City in disarray and with no hope of a comeback

Match rating: City turned in one of their worst displays of the season against a useful Lincoln team

Updated: 10:00 Wednesday, February 18, 2004