SAVING the best for last is often championed as the surest route to the play-offs.

But to their maddening anguish York City discovered at Lincoln City that it ain't necessarily so, especially in a one-off duel where so much was at stake for both teams.

The Minstermen - afforded numerical superiority for more than a third of the game by Chris Cornelly's harsh 55th-minute dismissal - ran the Red Imps ragged, but only in the final, feverish exchanges.

By then the hosts were encased in stone-walling, they shall not pass, Alamo-mode. As the Minstermen at last applied a pressure laced with vim and venom, the shooting gallery that was now the Lincoln 18-yard box stayed upright and intact.

Bodies clad in red and white striped shirts hurled themselves at every effort blasted, walloped, fizzed and leathered towards the Lincoln goal.

Jon Parkin, recalled to the front-line from suspension, could have marked his return with a brace of goals in the last ten minutes, while substitute Stephen Brackstone's howitzer almost ripped the latex off the gloves of goalkeeper Andy Marriott.

Roared on by 1,000 baying fans - likely City's biggest away following this season - the visitors laid siege.

Unfortunately not one of the numerous sinew-stretching efforts found its way into the rigging, thereby depositing the men of York out of the play-off frame for the first time in more than a month as they suffered their first defeat in seven games.

Frustrated manager Terry Dolan insisted City could not have done much more. True, up to a point - and a point was all that was needed to have kept City proudly in the play-off frame ahead of today's visit of Kidderminster to Bootham Crescent.

But had Dolan's dreadnoughts been as impressive and incisive in attack for the entire second half as they were during that frenzied finale, then a draw would have been the least they would have stowed away.

What they cried out for was some steadying influence, especially after Cornelly's second cautionable offence reduced the home ranks ten minutes into the second half.

In mitigation, a near gale-force wind allied to a disgraceful playing-surface were hardly conducive to fluent football.

So devoid of grass and heavily sanded was the Sincil Bank pitch that it would not have been surprising to see donkey rides dotted around its perimeter.

It was certainly bracing enough, and even the locals have dubbed it 'Skeggie' in recognition of its resemblance to the sandy shore of Skegness.

With so much at stake, too, the tendency is always to launch into pell-mell play, all motion and little notion. And so it proved.

But until that final flourish, City over concentrated on sky-rocketing high balls to Parkin. If they were not over-hit in the gusts, they were dealt with by the City striker's equal, the 6ft. 4in. totemic Ben Futcher.

A far more studied and constructive approach using the full width of the beach, sorry pitch, would have increased City's prospects of swatting the Red Imps. But until the desperate drama of the game's conclusion crosses and passes were rushed or forced - more lump, thump and bump.

Yet against the wind and a full complement of Lincoln players in the first half it was the visitors who produced the rare semblance of culture. Parkin latched on to an errant back pass in the sixth minute only to ruin his free run on goal by crashing a shot against Marriott's legs.

Soon after, Lee Bullock's deft header was guided a fraction wide of an upright with Marriott uncomfortable trying to cope with several inswinging corners from Graham Potter.

In complete contrast York's Phil Whitehead oozed goalkeeping class and command. Safe hands clutched any number of steepling crosses to leave the hosts foundering in frustration. But then parity was yanked from under the Minstermen's studs when Mark Bailey nut-megged Potter to whip in a cross met by Futcher, stooping into a diving header that zipped into the net.

Few would have credited that Futcher's strike would be the game's lone goal, particularly against ten men for the bulk of the second 45 minutes.

But 1-0 it stayed forcing York now to summon their best for the last three games if they are to achieve their just desserts of a play-off patrol.

Match Facts

Lincoln City: Marriott, Weaver, Morgan, Futcher, Bailey, Butcher, Gain, Bimpson, Pearce (Smith 59min), Cropper (Bloomer 77), Cornelly. Subs not used: Mayo, Yeo, Willis.

Booked: Cornelly 42min, 55; Smith 62.

Sent-off: Cornelly 55 (second yellow).

Goal: Futcher 40min.

York City: Whitehead 7, Smith 7, Brass 6, Hobson 6, Edmondson 5 (Graydon 84min), Cooper 6 (Brackstone 86min), Bullock 7, Potter 5 (Shandran 66min, 6), Cowan 7, Nogan 6, Parkin 6. Subs not used: Collinson, Jones.

Booked: Parkin 45min.

Sent-off: None.

Referee: Eddie Evans (Manchester)

Attendance: 4,653.

Man of the match: Phil Whitehead - did what he had to do assuredly and competently.

Updated: 11:20 Monday, April 21, 2003