York City's Worthington Cup hopes maybe over for another season but the manner of their defeat to Crewe last night suggests brighter times are just around the corner.

Having achieved their biggest away win in League in six years at Torquay at the weekend City picked up the Plainmoor baton and ran and ran to produce one of their best performances of recent years and a thrilling tussle worthy of a bigger stage.

Certainly, City must feel aggrieved they are not in the hat for round two. They proved themselves more than a match for their First Division opponents and indeed for much of the encounter were the better, livelier side.

The fact City finally succumbed in a dreaded penalty shoot-out should not detract from an heroic effort from Terry Dolan's Minstermen, who were quite rightly given a standing ovation at the end of more than two hours of high-octane, high-quality drama.

The only blot on the evening was the paltry attendance. But those lucky enough to witness the events unfold made up for absent friends with an atmosphere that made a mockery of a crowd of just 1,663.

To be truthful, Crewe should have been out of sight by the time City finally awoke from their slumber midway through the first-half.

Colin Little nodded the Railwaymen in front after just five minutes before Rob Hulse and Steve Macauley had efforts cleared off the line.

Hulse also had a goal disallowed for offside and crashed another fine effort against the bar as City struggled to cling on to a pass-happy Crewe, using the pace of Rodney Jack to devastating effect.

But cling on plucky City did and after such an horrendous start we perhaps learned important lesson about this new-look side - the days of last season when a pressurised City just rolled over in the face of adversity are firmly banished.

Prompted by the industry of Chris Brass and Lee Bullock in midfield, City took a stranglehold on the match and began to out-pass Crewe.

Their inventive football got its rewards on 32 minutes when Darren Edmondson, in his finest performance in a City shirt, played in Lee Nogan down the right.

Nogan's cross picked out Bullock's late charge. His firm volley was parried by Clayton Ince but the City midfielder made no mistake from the rebound.

As confidence surged, City were given a gilt-edged chance to go in at half-time a goal to the good when the impressive Michael Proctor induced Steve Macauley into handling the ball.

Unfortunately for the Minstermen, Brass's well-driven spot-kick hit the legs of Ince.

The second-half saw no abatement in the pace.

Jack continued to prove a thorn in City's side with a series of surging runs and shots from distance but still City held the upper hand.

Ince produced an extravagant save to deny Aidan O'Kane, who grew in stature as the tie wore on, then grabbed a stinging drive from Bullock at the second attempt.

Nogan too went close after Richard Cooper whipped in a delicious cross, but his glancing shot strayed the wrong side of a post.

It was Nogan who best summed up City's endeavour when, after giving the ball away in Crewe's half, moments later he popped up in his own penalty box to deny Hulse a clear shot on goal with a superb, last gasp tackle.

In extra-time, both teams continued to trade punches like a heavyweight boxers slugging it out.

O'Kane forced another acrobatic save from Ince with a rising effort before Alan Fettis produced a tremendous reflex save to deny Kenny Lunt's point-blank header.

Minutes into the second-half of extra time, City looked to have bagged a priceless and worthy winner.

O'Kane nicked possession in midfield and fed Nogan, who presented skipper Brass with a clever reverse pass.

This time the City skipper made no mistake and firmly planted his effort in the corner of the goal.

City's joy was short-lived however.

Within five minutes substitute Marc Richards capitalised on a momentary lapse of concentration in the City defence to nod home Alan Navarro's teasing cross.

And so to penalties and the quality of the spot-kicks from both sides matched the quality of play that had gone before.

Still the teams could not be separated after five kicks each but someone had to miss. Unfortunately for City, after Richards had firmly dispatched Crewe's sixth, Cooper pushed his effort wide.

It was cruel, but even then the disappointment was only brief. City's performance and a breathtaking match had seen to that.

How the penalty drama unfolded

Shaun Smith sends Alan Fettis the wrong way, 1-0 Crewe.

Chris Brass fires his spot-kick into the roof the net 1-1.

Fettis gets a hand to Dave Brammer's penalty but can't keep the ball out, 2-1 Crewe.

Graham Potter sends Clayton Ince the wrong way, 2-2.

Steve Macauley drills his penalty down the middle of the goal, 3-2 Crewe.

Lee Nogan sends Ince the wrong way with a delicately placed effort, 3-3.

Alan Navarro fires his effort into the corner to leave Fettis with little chance, 4-3 Crewe.

City substitute Scott Emmerson shows nerves of steel to plant his effort in the corner with undue fuss, 4-4.

Kenny Lunt sends Fettis the wrong way, 5-4 Crewe.

Michael Proctor prolongs the drama and ensures sudden death by also sending Ince the wrong way, 5-5.

Fettis guesses the right way but still fails to stop Marc Richards' effort, 6-5 Crewe.

Richard Cooper puts his spot-kick the wrong side of the post and City are...OUT.

York City 2 Crew 2

After extra time Crewe win 6-5 on pens

York City Fettis 8, Edmondson 8, Potter 8, Cooper 8, Basham 8, Fielding 8, Brass 8, Bullock 9, Nogan 8, Proctor 8, O'Kane 8 (Emmerson 108mins)

Subs, not used: Howarth, Hocking, Wood, Smith Booking: Basham 96mins (foul), Nogan 115 mins (unsporting conduct) Scorers: Bullock 32mins, Brass 108mins

Crewe Ince, Navarro, Smith, Macauley, Sodje, Collins, Brammer, Sorvel (Lunt 65mins), Little (Richards 101mins), Hulse, Jack Subs, not used: Bankole, Jones, Walker Booking: Sodje 53mins (foul), Richards113mins Sending-off:None Scorers: Little 5mins, Richards 113mins

Man of the man: Lee Bullock: Scored another trademark goal, arriving late into the box, and together with skipper Chris Brass, bossed the midfield