AS DISAPPOINTING as any defeat is, especially when the carrot of second place in Division Three dangles prior to kick-off, York City should not feel too despondent today as they contemplate last night's entertaining encounter at Shrewsbury Town.

Five goals - three in the final three minutes - gave an already exciting game added gloss but, more importantly for City followers, this was another encouraging performance from the Minstermen.

After three promising showings in a row, City continue on the right lines and, as they travel in the right manner, are perhaps not too far short of their ultimate destination.

As the shots on target and corners columns show, City were deserving of at the very least a point, possibly more.

But they were undone by pace, sucker punches and some costly lapses in concentration.

Either side of Shrewsbury's goals, City were for the large part the better side and pleasingly continued to look wide and to the flanks for their inspiration and salvation

That City, just weeks into the season, are already fast gaining a reputation for being sluggish starters was justified last night and remains the biggest source of concern.

That worrying tendency proved their downfall as City were punished for failing to click into gear until the damage had been done.

To be fair, Shrewbury's attack, particularly Nigel Jemson and Luke Rodgers, were a whirlwind of excellent movement and pace in the early stages, epitomised by their ninth-minute opener.

City striker Lee Nogan lost possession inside the Town half enabling Steve Jagielka to send Rodgers away down the left flank.

The bustling frontman still had much to do, but as City failed to get close Rodgers cut in from the left, and drifted into the City penalty area before curling a well struck effort past Fettis.

It was painfully easy.

Rodgers' pace was to remain a constant threat and a ready get-out for Shrewsbury but once Lee Bullock and Chris Brass grabbed the midfield by the scruff of the neck City started to assert their authority, underlined by the increasing influence of Graham Potter down the left.

Mike Basham, Bullock, twice, and Nogan all came close to latching on to Potter's high quality crosses, Nogan even finding the net only for his well-worked effort to be ruled out for offside.

It wasn't one-way traffic. Jemson volleyed just over before Peter Wilding blazed wide when he got in behind the City defence to latch on to a Jemson free-kick

But City held the upper-hand, emphasised by their strong finish to the half as first Richard Cooper and then Aidan O'Kane with a super, dipping effort, almost forced equalisers only to find Shrews' goalkeeper Mark Cartwright in impressive form.

With the next goal likely to prove decisive, City, another rapier like Rodgers shot early on apart, looked odds-on to grab it as the second half got underway with the visitors still passing and probing diligently.

A goal seemed inevitable and so it proved. Unfortunately for City it was Shrewsbury who bagged it.

Local hero Sam Aiston had been on the pitch just two minutes when he broke away down the left, scuffed a centre which fortuitously fell behind the City defence and into the path of Jagielka, who prodded the ball into the roof of the net.

It looked a killer blow but credit again to City who stuck to their new-found passing principles.

Bullock had Cartwright back-pedalling to tip over his quickly taken free-kick then Michael Proctor had a glancing header pawed off the line by the Shrews' 'keeper.

Just when it looked like City were going to have to accept defeat without even a consolation, they got a richly deserved lifeline three minutes from time.

Making more inroads down the left, Potter picked out Nogan with a carefully considered pass inside the Shrews' penalty area, who, in turn, rolled the ball to Bullock on the edge of the area and the City midfielder side-footed home with pin-point precision.

Having given themselves hope, City's good work was undone just moments later when, from a throw, City gave Jemson far too much room and the former Sheffield Wednesday striker turned and lifted his volley over a helpless Alan Fettis.

But still the scoring nor City were finished. Potter's free-kick was tipped over by Cartwright and from the resultant corner the City full-back's cross was bundled home by John Fielding for his first senior goal.

With four minutes of injury time and given the three minutes just gone, there was still time for City to grab an equaliser and a winner but their best efforts proved to no avail.

It was disappointing, but not too disappointing. Second place will just have to wait.

Shrewsbury 3 York City 2

Shrewsbury: Cartwright, Drysdale, Redmile, Heathcote, Rioch, Jagielka, Atkins, Wilding, Freestone (Aiston 62mins), Jemson, Rodgers.

Subs, not used: Dunbavin, Tretton, Walker, Murray

Booked: None

Sent off: None

Scorers: Rodgers 9mins, Jagielka 64mins, Jemson 89mins

York City: Fettis 7, Edmondson 6, Basham 8, Fielding 7, Potter 7, Cooper 6, Brass 7, Bullock 8, Nogan 8, Proctor 7, O'Kane 6 (Emmerson 64mins, 6)

Subs, not used: Howarth, Hobson, Hocking, Wood, Booked: Basham 5 (foul), Cooper 41 (foul), Bullock 90 (foul).

Sent off: None.

Scorers: Bullock 87mins, Fielding 90mins

Man of the match: Lee BullockThree goals in four games but his all round game too seems to have moved up another level on last season.