AS the frustration continues the sense of foreboding mounts.

York City again missed the chance to end the hoodoo that has seen them fail to win two games on the bounce this season and, more importantly, secure a much needed three points.

But on the greyest of days the Minstermen had only themselves to blame after serving up an equally dank and dismal performance.

It is perhaps all too easy to talk about City's inconsistency again rearing its ugly head after such a spanking.

But the fact that City can perform so magnificently against Second Division high-fliers Reading one week and then so poorly against Cheltenham just seven days later is a mystery which the combined efforts of Morse, Taggart and Frost would struggle to solve.

Credit must be given to Cheltenham, who for long spells dished up something little short of a master class and always looked that bit stronger, that bit sharper.

The finger could also be pointed at individual mistakes again costing City dear.

The defence, so solid and unflappable against Reading, creaked at almost every foray this time around and handed goals on a plate to the visitors.

The mistakes set the agenda but take away those individual errors and it was still an impoverished team display.

For much of the match, City looked a side suffering from shell-shock walking on egg-shells.

They huffed and puffed but while the Robins slipped through the gears City simply stalled time and time again.

The couple of occasions in the first half they did manage to string some passes together the Minstermen looked threatening.

Indeed, following one of those rare periods of extended possession City fashioned a well taken goal.

But those shards of light were too few and far between as for the most part City were second best.

After a low-key opening of half-chances for both sides, Cheltenham began to get the upper hand, signalled by Tony Naylor's stinging volley from the edge of the area that produced a fine save from Alan Fettis.

Five minutes later, Naylor got the better of the City shot-stopper following a costly error by Mike Basham.

The City defender tried to head an aimless Cheltenham punt back to Fettis but sold his keeper short, enabling Naylor to nip in and from an acute angle expertly lift the ball over the stranded shot-stopper and into an empty net.

The Robins' ascendancy proved short-lived however as within minutes City were back on level terms.

After a bright spell of possession from City, Richard Cooper picked out Lee Bullock with a centre from the right.

The City midfielder-cum-striker had his back to goal but after a good first touch was able to swivel on the penalty spot and hammer the ball past Steve Book. For a time, the goal brought about a welcome sense of more urgency among the City ranks.

But the defence, struggling to cope with Cheltenham's Little and Large attack of Naylor and the towering Julian Alsop, continued to look vulnerable.

And with no firm foundations upon which City could build Cheltenham continued to look the side most likely.

Naylor in particular was proving a real nuisance, picking out Neil Grayson with a vicious cross, who forced a superb reflex save from Fettis from point-blank range.

A minute later the two players combined again as Cheltenham regained the lead.

Former City striker Grayson played the ball in behind a static City defence leaving Naylor free to race into the penalty area and slot the ball past Fettis all too comfortably.

For all their shortfalls, deep into stoppage time City were given a gilt-edged chance to restore parity.

Cooper again centred from the right to pick out Michael Proctor, who like Bullock managed to control and turn but with Book just to beat this time scuffed his shot horribly wide.

City needed a fast start to the second period and they almost got it when Proctor threatened to waltz through the entire Cheltenham defence only for Lee Howells to get in a timely block.

But after Mark Yates forced Fettis into another fine save to push over his 30-yard howitzer, Cheltenham regained their grip on the match and never looked like relenting.

Sure enough they extended their advantage on the hour mark. Howells was given too much room to pick out Alsop, who similarly was given too much time and space to fire past Fettis from the edge of the area.

Thereafter, Cheltenham turned the screw. Naylor glanced a header on to the crossbar, Lee Williams fired just over with a raking effort from distance before cutting in from the right and unleashing an angled drive that whispered past the upright.

The only bright spot for City was the return to action of Peter Duffield, who came on for the final 20 minutes in his first senior outing for four months since suffering a second broken leg inside a year.

And it was Duffield who went closest to clawing back some respectability for the Minstermen deep into stoppage time with a trademark snapshot that at least forced a save from Book.

But by then the fans had vented their frustration in no uncertain terms.

Performing in such a hostile atmosphere cannot be pleasant.

The ironic cheers from the home support towards the end of the game were particularly distasteful and served little purpose.

But at the same time, the fans' frustration is understandable and while it would be nice for them to give their backing in times of trouble it isn't going to happen.

It is up to City to earn their support and they certainly aren't going to deserve it with performances like that.

Fact file:

York City:

Scorers: Bullock 32m

Fettis 7, Edmondson 5, Basham 4 (Hocking 62m, 6), Smith 5, Maley 5 (Duffield 70m, 6), Cooper 6, Brass 5, Richardson 4 (O'Kane 82m), Potter 5, Proctor 6, Bullock 6.

Subs, not used: Howarth, Mathie

Bookings: None

Sent-off: None

Cheltenham

Scorers: Naylor 29m and 42m, Alsop 60m

Book, Griffin, Banks, Duff, Victory, Williams, Howells, Yates, Gray-son, Alsop (White 90m), Naylor (Devaney 90m)

Subs, not used: Brough, Jones, Muggle-ton

Bookings: None

Sent-off: None

Attendance: 2,082

Referee: Mike Ryan (Preston)