QUALITY always tells in the end and so it proved for York City last night as the Minstermen's hopes of making it three home wins on the bounce were scuppered by Scunthorpe United.

No-one could fault the effort and commitment shown by the City players throughout the 90 minutes.

Indeed, the Minstermen had perhaps shaded the first-half and came oh-so close to drawing first-blood only for a superb save from Tom Evans in the Scunthorpe goal to deny Kieran Darlow's ripping volley just minutes into the second.

Thereafter though and it was like a clinical assassin, armed to the teeth, taking on and shooting down a dogged gunslinger that possessed the firepower but lacked the ammunition.

City had the heart but not the punch and after former City man Martin Carruthers prodded the Iron in front just a minute after Darlow's blast, Scunthorpe's extra sheen - particularly on the flanks in the shape of Peter Beagrie and Lee Hodges - began to shine through.

Hodges had a telling hand in both Scunthorpe's goals while Beagrie simply oozed class.

As City chased the game, the former Everton and Manchester City ace was an ever-willing outlet, stretching City time and time again before slinging in his crosses with unerring accuracy.

It was all a far cry from the opening 45 minutes when a swashbuckling City had looked the most potent.

A series of incisive moves culminated in the effervescent Michael Proctor firing over with a fizzing half-volley and Lee Bullock, following another foray from Darren Edmondson, forced a solid save from Evans with a well struck drive from 18 yards.

Edmondson, in particular, was proving the Minstermen's driving force.

Surging run after surging run put Scunthorpe on the back foot and raised the tempo and spirit throughout the red ranks.

It was somewhat ironic then that City's best chance of the half followed a similarly surging run from City's other full-back.

A superb back heel from Proctor released Mark Maley, who knocked the ball down the line and chased after it.

Outstripping Richard Kell, Maley crossed with the outside of his foot.

Evans pushed the ball into the path of Lee Nogan, but the off-balance City front man could only sky his shot over the bar.

The warning signs were there for City though and, as the half drew to a close, The Iron started to display some of their renowned teeth.

Beagrie signalled his intent with a shot from 30 yards that cannoned back off the inside of the post before Hodges, from virtually the same position on the field, had Alan Fettis clawing a similarly speculative effort out from under the cross-bar.

Come half-time, the game could not have been more delicately poised and City showed few signs of wilting as the second-half got underway.

Richard Cooper's low cross to the near post fell just inches short for Nogan before Darlow, celebrating his 19th birthday with his first senior start, forced Evans into his sprawling save.

Its importance to Scunthorpe was emphasised just seconds later when The Iron edged themselves in front.

Hodges, picking up a quickly taken throw-in from the right, cut inside before unleashing an arrowed drive that crashed off the inside of the post and into the path of Carruthers, who was left with an easy tap-in.

Proctor continued to carry the fight for City with two raking efforts that forced saves from Evans again.

But for all City's pushing, prodding and probing, it was a rapier-like Scunthorpe who savoured the more telling thrust.

As crosses rained in from the flanks, Fettis produced a superb save to turn an Andy Dawson effort around the post then made a double block to deny Steve Torpey from close range.

With seven minutes to go United sealed the points in text-book, smash and grab fashion.

A City corner was cleared and with the Minstermen caught short at the back Hodges was able to pick out an unmarked Alex Calvo-Garcia, who coolly stroked the ball past a helpless Fettis.

To make matters worse for the Minstermen, on-loan Sunderland defender Maley was sent-off in the final minute of the 90.

Booked already following an off-the-ball incident with Carruthers, Maley's crunching tackle that brought his second yellow must have shaken Beagrie to the bones but he appeared to win the ball.

However, while Maley could feel harshly done-by, City, for all their pluckiness, could have had few complaints at the final result.

Fact file:

York City: Fettis 7, Edmondson 8, Hobson 7, Hocking 7, Maley 7, Cooper 6 (Emmerson 80m), Brass 7, Bullock 6, Darlow 6 (Fox 70m, 5), Nogan 7, Proctor 7

Subs, not used: Howarth, Richardson, Smith

Bookings:Brass 13m (foul), Cooper 47m (foul), Proctor 90m (dissent), Fox 90m (foul)

Sent-off: Maley (two fouls) 59m, 90m

Scunthorpe:

Scorers: Carruthers 50m, Calvo-Garcia 83m

Evans, Stanton, Jackson, McCombe, Dawson, Hodges (Brough 88m), Kell, Calvo-Garcia, Beagrie (Sparrow 90m), Torpey, Carruthers (Quailey 87m)

Subs, not used: Bennion, Wilcox

Bookings: Calvo-Garcia 15m (unsporting conduct), Beagrie 14m (dissent), Dawson 80m (foul)

Sent-off: None

Attendance: 3,192

Ref: Mark Cooper (Walsall)