THERE was only ever going to be one winner of this derby-duel - Mother Nature.

But while the spoils were shared football could also claim a notable victory.

For at a rain-soaked, wind-lashed Bootham Crescent both York City and Hull managed to raise themselves above the gloom to provide a spectacle which, while devoid of goals, was not short of incidents and accidents.

Both teams, evenly matched, could have won it. It could also have quite easily finished 3-3. A fair result all round then.

The pitch, as ever, looked in pristine condition at kick-off but the corners, in particular, proved the sticking point.

Water sprayed up at every pass and for the players it looked akin to playing on an ice-rink. Wellington boots rather than football boots would have been more in keeping with the conditions.

Time and again the ball held up or zipped up off the wet surface but in doing so served merely to increase the excitement and sense of anticipation.

Innocuous back passes suddenly spawned goalscoring opportunities - the game a lottery from start to finish. It was just a shame City didn't possess the winning ticket.

They had chances, probably the best of the match, but so did Hull and one sensed both teams were happy with a point.

That best chance came as early as the tenth minute. Steve Agnew hooked a poor Hull clearance back over his shoulder and Alex Mathie was in the clear.

The former Ipswich ace showed a quick pair of heels and had time to pick his spot but Paul Musselwhite stood tall and blocked the City striker's low effort with his feet.

It would have been a deserved opener for City, who had made light work of the heavy conditions to start by far the brighter of the two teams.

Neil Tarrant had already wasted a good chance when, just like at Halifax on Tuesday night, he got caught in two minds whether to head for goal or knock the ball back across from Mathie's cross.

The youngster chose the latter but with Mathie the provider out wide there was no one on hand to pounce on the knock-down.

Tarrant later blazed over after linking up with Graham Potter before Keiron Durkan slammed in a near-post effort which forced a save from Musselwhite.

The Tigers, backed by more than 2,500 travelling supporters, finally bared their teeth as Gary Brabin brought the best out of Alan Fettis with a rising 25-yard pile-driver that the City 'keeper pushed around the post.

Not surprisingly given the conditions, the 'bust-it' tactic soon took centre-stage as both defences went for safe rather than sorry.

The football then, unlike the rain, was hardly flowing but the thrills and spills showed no sign of abating.

Steve Swales spectacularly upended Darren Edmondson and the ball finally ran to Lee Bullock on the edge of the Hull box. The youngster, after scoring his first goal for the club in midweek, almost doubled his tally but Musselwhite did well to tip his rising drive over the bar.

Substitute David McNiven, now on for the injured Mathie, had a chance to make an immediate impact but missed the ball completely when played in by Tarrant just ten yards out. It would have been his first touch had he connected.

Brabin's effort aside, Hull had shown very little as an attacking force but gradually the Tigers clawed their way into the match thanks largely to Jamaican international Theodore Whitmore.

Whitmore, seemingly untroubled by the wet surface, glided here, there and everywhere posing no end of problems.

First he turned Sertori on a six-pence to feed Steve Harper out wide but his cross-cum-shot was too high for the diminutive Clint Marcelle.

Then he launched a swift counter from a cleared City corner, releasing Marcelle, who pushed Stamp on to the back foot with a jinking run before forcing Fettis to make another excellent save with a top-corner bound strike.

McNiven, at last finding his feet, produced a delightful dummy to wriggle clear in the Hull box but Potter failed to get a true connection on the low cross and the ball bobbled agonisingly wide.

It was edge of the seat stuff and not just because of the conditions. Nor did the second half offer any let-up in terms of the weather or action.

McNiven, latching onto a fortunate deflection, curled an effort around the post before Marcelle badly miscued an effort wide with just Fettis to beat.

Unlike the first half, however, it was Hull who had the upper hand with Whitmore again proving the biggest thorn in City's side.

His cross from the right dissected the City defence but Marcelle, just six yards out, stooped too early and his diving header lacked any real power to trouble Fettis.

Moments later and Marcelle was staring Fettis in the face again. Played in by Swales, the Trinidad and Tobago international found himself one on one with the 'keeper but was challenged by Sertori as he went to shoot and Fettis was able to stick out a hand to block his toe-poke.

Hull were dictating the pace but City, backed by a swirling wind, weren't without their chances and as the game entered the final quarter cranked up the pressure on the visitors.

Edmondson forced Musselwhite into a sprawling save low down then drove another effort across the face of the Hull goal and just beyond the arriving McNiven and Tarrant.

With ten minutes to go, the weather turned the screw as the constant drizzle suddenly became a downpour and the Tigers bared their claws again.

Both Sertori and Hocking, showing signs of a blossoming partnership at the heart of the City defence, produced excellent blocks and tackles to deny Whitmore two goalscoring opportunities.

It was left to City however to have the last word as Durkan, having failed to beat the first man on too many occasions with his crossing, finally floated a delightful ball to the far post.

Tarrant jumped above Mike Edwards but could only head the ball down and wide.

City Match Facts

Nationwide League Division Three

Saturday, October 28, 2000

York City 0, Hull City 0

YORK CITY: Alan Fettis 7, Darren Edmondson 7 (Barry Jones 72mins), Mark Sertori 8, Matt Hocking 8, Neville Stamp 7, Kieron Durkan 6, Steve Agnew 8 (Kevin Hulme 88mins), Lee Bullock 7, Graham Potter 6, Alex Mathie (David McNiven 19mins, 7), Neil Tarrant 6

Subs, not used: Russ Howarth, Scott Jordan

Booked: Hocking 32mins (unsporting conduct)

Sent off: None

HULL CITY: Paul Musselwhite, Ian Goodison, Jason Perry, David Brightwell, Mike Edwards, Gary Brabin, Steve Swales (Lee Philpott 66mins), Mark Greaves, Steve Harper, Clint Marcelle, Thoedore Whitmore.

Subs, not used: Lee Bracey, Phil Brumwell, Jamie Wood, David Brown

Booked: Swales 16mins (foul), Brightwell 58mins (foul)

Sent off: None

Evening Press/Unique Pub Man of the Match: Steve Agnew

His excellent passing, both short and long, and vision made light work of the pouring rain and heavy pitch

York Match Stats

Half-time 0

Corners 4

Shots on target 3

Fouls committed 7

Hull Match Stats

Half-time 0

Corners 6

Shots on target 2

Fouls committed 8

Attendance: 5,493

Referee: Roger Furnandiz (Doncaster)

City's next match: Saturday, November 4: Cardiff City v York City at Ninian Park, ko 3pm. Nationwide League Division Three.