York City dished up the turkey and stuffing a few weeks early as their seven game unbeaten run came to a shuddering halt at Darlington.

The ever-so-grand Reynolds Arena may have provided City and their fans with new and unfamiliar surroundings - but this was an all too predictable a performance and outcome from the Minstermen.

That Darlington striker Barry Conlon scored against his former club yet again merely underlined the overwhelming sense of having seen and suffered it all before.

As has become the norm, City just about shaded possession over the 90 minutes and looked a good footballing side

But, as has also become the norm, City failed to turn their possession into goals. More worryingly, City couldn't even turn Saturday's possession into clear-cut chances.

The lack of goals has been a season-long problem but at least in recent weeks City have been creating opportunities without finding the finishing touch. But against Darlington there were no such crumbs of comfort.

City remained easy on the eye but were toothless and blunt in the final third. There was no real spark, no real change of pace and it was all too cold and uninspiring.

To emphasis the point, Michael Price in the Darlington goal had just one save of note to make throughout the 90 minutes.

If your not scoring goals, it puts a tremendous pressure on the defence to keep a clean sheet to get a result.

City's relative success of late has been largely due to their impregnable defence but on Saturday the rearguard started shakily.

It was no doubt partly explained by the absence of the suspended Richard Hope, meaning the Minstermen were forced to operate with an unfamiliar flat-back four.

It didn't take long for Darlington to take advantage - 11 minutes to be precise - as from Neil Maddison's corner Mark Ovendale came and flapped and an unmarked Conlon was able to bundle the ball home at the far post for his prerequisite goal.

It was no more than the Quakers deserved and for the next 15 minutes or so it remained pretty much one way traffic in favour of the hosts.

As the half hour mark approached, City finally got hold of the ball and started to knock it around with some confidence.

Possession was being retained and City's careful football almost got its reward but from a Dave Merris cross Jon Shaw could only direct his free header straight into the arms of Price.

It looked a costly miss, particularly so when Darlington grabbed a decisive second goal just minutes before the break.

To be fair, it was well worked and well taken. Conlon spun away from Chris Smith on the half-way line and released Neil Wainwright with a delightfully weighted pass that beat City's offside trap.

Ovendale raced from his line and forced Wainwright wide but the former Sunderland winger showed great poise to round the City 'keeper, cut back inside and fire beyond two retreating City defenders on the line.

Two weeks earlier and City had trailed by two goals at the break at Leyton Orient and had come back to snatch a point. However, a repeat performance never really looked on this time around.

City had created plenty of chances in the opening period to instill hope at Brisbane Road but there was precious little cause for optimism at the Reynolds Arena.

True enough, the Minstermen dominated the second-half and controlled the ball for long periods but there was still no end product.

The arrival of Jon Parkin just past the hour mark lifted the spirits and the tempo but Price in the Darlington goal remained largely untroubled.

Against the run of play it might have been, but in the circumstances it was no great surprise then when the Quakers broke away to add a third.

Ryan Valentine delivered a telling cross from the right and at the far post fellow wing-back Craig James thumped a firm header down and beyond Ovendale.

It was simple but effective and merely underlined City's own shortcomings and lack of a cutting edge

It could have been worse for the Minstermen with Darren Edmondson clearing off the line to deny Conlon, then Ovendale blocking another close range effort from the former Irish Under-21 international.

The scoreline probably flattered the Quakers but not the actual result.

City find themselves on their travels again next week. Torquay is the destination.

It's the opposite end of the country to Darlington and Plainmoor is far removed from the Quakers' grand new arena. It must be hoped the differences for York City do not end there.

Match Facts:

Nationwide League Div 3

Saturday, December 6, 2003

at Reynolds Arena

Darlington 3

Conlon 11, Wainwright 35, James 78

York City 0

City ratings:

Ovendale 5

Edmondson 5

Smith 6

Brass 6

Merris 6

Brackstone 5 (Coad 86m)

Cooper 5

Dunning 6

Bullock 5

Nogan 5 (Brown 79m)

Shaw 5 (Parkin 63m, 6)

Subs not used: Porter, Law

Star Man: Darren Dunning - Industrious and committed as ever

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

Darlington: Price, Valentine, Liddle, Clarke, James, Maddison (Coghlan 83), Hutchinson, Clark, Nicholls (Convery 90), Conlon, Wainwright (Alexander 88) Subs, not used: Norton, Pearson

Yellow cards: None

Red cards: None

Referee: Mike Pike (Barrow)

Rating: Inconspicous

Attendance: 4,115

Weather watch: Dull and overcast

Game breaker: Conlon's early goal had City on the back foot

Match rating: Desparately disappointing

Updated: 09:22 Monday, December 08, 2003