YORK City's first away defeat in almost three months but perhaps it may prove a welcome reality check

A remarkable run of just one defeat in 14 and subsequent clamber to safety had understandably got fans already looking ahead to next season with renewed hope and confidence.

Certainly, poor teams don't go on runs like City have since hitting rock-bottom in mid-February.

And certainly the squad, with more re-construction sure to follow, looks leaner and meaner, hungrier and sharper than the bloated predecessor that kick-started this forgettable, but in many ways unforgettable, campaign.

And yet the doubts, also understandably, still remain. Of course, we had witnessed a very similar run this time last year.

And was this a genuine renaissance or one brought about only by the threat of relegation, the memory of which will dull over summer's months and then so too the drive and determination that has been the hallmark of City's revival?

In the end perhaps this wasn't the game to provide the answers.

After such a fraught last few months it should have been expected that standards would drop once safety had been assured.

Equally, the performance of referee Paul Rejer left as much to be desired; so rarely did the game flow.

It wasn't as if City shrugged their shoulders and decided not to bother against Shrewsbury.

Terry Dolan barked out orders from the touchline as if his life depended on it while the spitfire-like Richard Cooper snapped and snarled his way in midfield before seeing red midway through the second-half.

Cooper's dismissal made it difficult to gauge City's performance; the Minstermen were enjoying their best spell when the midfielder received his marching orders and in truth it looked harsh on the City player.

Already booked in the first, Cooper certainly clattered Greg Rioch heavily but seemed to have just eyes on the high ball rather than his opponent.

Shrewsbury weren't particularly good or, save for a first-half period directly after they scored, dominant.

But in Sam Aiston and Luke Rodgers in particular they had willing outlets and the pace to unsettle City, who after a bright start seemed to settle for going through the motions.

Had Lee Nogan's first-touch been just a tad better when Matt Redmile's header fell short City could have been a goal to the good inside two minutes.

It then took a great recovery tackle from Redmile to prevent Mike Basham from grabbing his second goal in successive games as the City defender poised to shoot from just eight yards.

When it came therefore, Shrewsbury's opening goal was somewhat out of the blue and was a particularly disappointing goal for City to concede, one which they have become susceptible to in recent games.

With City once again slow to close the ball down, Nigel Jemson delivered a fine ball in behind the City defence from the left.

Ryan Lowe sneaked in on the blind side of a static City rearguard and chaperoned the ball into the corner of the City goal beyond Fettis.

Thereafter, Town enjoyed the upper hand while City's best chances to score came from set-pieces; Basham blazing one free-kick over the bar then planting a header firmly into the arms of Ian Dunbavin.

It was a sad indictment of the second-half that neither goalkeeper had a save to make until Shrewsbury grabbed their second deep into stoppage time.

Things may have been different had City still had 11 players on the park; crosses were just starting to rain in from the left and right.

But a man down following Cooper's red card, City were playing a 3-3-3 formation and were therefore always susceptible.

So it proved. Rodgers raced onto a simple ball over the top, cleverly lifted it over the retreating Darren Edmondson then coolly slotted it past Alan Fettis

It was a quality strike on a night when quality was in short supply.