PERSEVERANCE in the face of adversity is always a welcome attribute, even if that adversity is sometimes self-inflicted.

York City made a welcome return to winning ways with victory over Darlington last night, but insisted on doing it the hard way.

Perhaps the increased level of expectations that such a promising start to the season has brought about played a part in City's sluggish performance.

In the first-half in particular, City produced their most tepid 45 minutes since Macclesfield on the opening day.

But if City are to maintain their promotion push then such high hopes will only increase not diminish as the weeks pass.

It is something they are going to have to get used to and last night should therefore be viewed as another important notch on the learning curve for both team and fans.

And while City's performance failed to live up to expectations, City's new steely character continues to shine.

For all the finger-wagging in City's direction, it should not be forgotten they did claim the three points - City might have struggled to carry the burden but at least they did not buckle.

A draw against Rushden on Saturday and now a win; this habit of grinding out results when performances are below par is a welcome one.

Darlington will certainly be aggrieved, if not amazed, that they did not claim at least a point but paid the price for squandering a handful of gilt-edged opportunities to make their mark.

In a blistering opening ten minutes from the visitors, Richard Hodgson fired tamely at Alan Fettis when clean through, Ian Clark screwed a decent chance into the side netting before being denied what looked a certain scoring opportunity by a superb tackle from Chris Brass.

The best that could be said about City's first-half performance was that they at least managed to stem the Quakers' tide.

But if defensively a dogged City improved as the half wore on, going forward the Minstermen were positively dogged-eared.

The commitment and endeavour could not be faulted but in their desire to maintain a high tempo quality went out of the window

A lack of invention meant too often the final pass was a lump forward into the box, hit more in hope than expectation.

Their only real sight of goal came on 33 minutes when Peter Duffield centred and Alex Mathie did well to hold the ball-up until the arrival of Tom Cowan, who curled his shot just inches wide of the upright.

The luckless Mathie, who had not performed badly, limped from the fray just before half-time but in doing so possibly helped swing the pendulum back in City's favour.

The arrival of giant Jon Parkin gave the crowd a lift and also gave City a figurehead in attack.

There was little to suggest Parkin's introduction had changed much at the start of the second-half when Conlon fired a fierce drive straight at Fettis, who then produced an important save to deny Clark, who'd sprung the offside trap to run clear.

Very slowly, however, City started to play with more authority going forward and it took a well-timed block from ex-Scarborough player Simon Betts to deny Duffield from seizing on a blunder from Andy Collett in the Darlington goal.

Duffield also went close with an effort from 25 yards that whistled past the post before Parkin finally had City's first shot on target but blasted his effort straight at Collett.

Ryan Valentine cut through the City defence down the right before firing a low centre that required just a touch goalwards only for Conlon to miss the ball completely.

For a time, Darlington threatened to regain the initiative only for Parkin to finally find his range and settle the home nerves.

A long throw from Cowan was never properly dealt with by Darlington, Nogan showed great poise to play in Parkin and holding off the challenge of a couple of defenders the former Barnsley man drove his shot beyond Collett from the edge of the area.

Not surprisingly, the goal lifted City and Parkin could have added to his tally in the closing stages but was just inches from latching onto Darren Edmondson's low cross, fired straight at Collett from a tight angle and then blazed over from 18 yards.

Had any one of those gone in it would have given an unfair gloss on the City performance.

But the fact even in victory there is irritation should be viewed as cause for comfort.

It underlines just how well City have played this season, perhaps even more than City's current standing in the Division Three table.

Fact file:

York City: Fettis 7, Edmondson 7, Smith 7, Brass 8, Hobson 7, Cowan 7, Brackstone 6, Bullock 6, Duffield 7, Mathie 6 (Parkin 45m, 7), Nogan 8 Subs (not used): Howarth, Potter, Yalcin, Rogerio

Goals: Parkin 73m

Bookings: Hobson 4m, Nogan 43m, Cowan 56m, Brass 65m, Edmondson 90m (all fouls)

Sent-off: None.

Darlington: Collett, Valentine, Liddle (McGurk 58m), Clarke, Betts, Ford, Hadland (Naylor 84m), Hodgson (Fenton 77m), Maddison, Conlon, Clark Subs (not used): Nicholls, Wainwright

Goals: None

Bookings: Hadland 49m, Hodgson 76m, Ford 80m (all fouls)

Sent-off: None.

Referee: Andy Hall (Birmingham)

ATTENDANCE: 4,128

Man of the match: Chris Brass

Made a goal saving tackle in the first-half and was unflappable throughout

Updated: 10:27 Wednesday, September 18, 2002